Genetic Love
by Coka Cookie Cola
Summary: Kagome Higurashi was one of the few people that was let in on the secret project that her father took part in; it was a scientific interest that eventually turned into a tragic romance... COMPLETE
1. The Band of Seven: The Beginning

**Hi there! Glad to see that you are an InuYasha x Kagome fan too! ^_^ I am so happy that you decided to give this story a chance; trust me, as far as I know, you probably haven't read anything like this. But what do I know huh?**

**Anyways, I hope with all my heart and soul that you would give your input. I know I sound desperate – and who isn't? – but I'd really like comments and/or constructive criticism. Flaming my story and the characters can result in something bad. At least, bad for you.**

**Romance Couples: Kagome & InuYasha, Sesshomaru & Rin, Miroku & Sango**

Summary:They called this project InuYasha; the very project that can make or break their careers in an instant. This project, however, was forbidden to most of the scientific community around the globe. Everything that had been compromised, had become endangered. Kagome Higurashi is one of the few people called to take on this assignment – a duty given to her in her father's will before he had died mysteriously. Kagome is the only one who can control InuYasha.. and in a very short time, attraction forms.

**Genetic Love**

~Prologue~

It took ten years for Surei Higurashi, and along with twenty other scientists, to complete his life's work: ten years of frustrations, failed ideas and money that had been spent out of his pocket seemed like it was worth it. Of course, he merely started this project at the mere age of twenty-six – when he and his wife started to settle down. There was never a better time to start: Surei's research was finally starting to be recognized by Japan's most prestigious laboratories and doctors, his wife was pregnant with their first child and managed to use the rest of their savings to buy a home.

Even though his research was approved greatly by the genetic engineers as of ten years ago, it seemed as though the Higurashi family ran out of their new-found luck. Apart from the aggravating time it took for his newest project to reach the surface, in a way, there were other setbacks.

During Surei's life, he had been succumbed and practically exposed to deadly illnesses – even before he had been born. There were several cases when the doctors thought that Surei had cancer, not to mention pneumonia. He had been tested for allergies, yet there were no results that explained perfectly about what ailed Surei. And this was the case in his childhood.

But this never stopped Surei from pursuing his career; this never stopped Surei from falling in love with Sakura. His history of illnesses never stopped Surei or Sakura from having their first child... It was their dream to start a family...

"Doctor Surei, they have arrived."

Surei's ocean blue eyes glowed against the mirrored glass, nodding understandingly but never took his eyes off of the project that made a breakthrough in his career.

What he saw through the mirror was something that never once was thought to exist; what he had seen was something that could terrify many but could fascinate others.

Surei knew that his own knowledge of the fairy tales – that had come along with this uncovered piece of evidence that would change the world – had helped him. Now he surely knew that there were other archeologists and medical engineers that would suddenly become interested into what Surei had found that was shocking to say the least.

And once Surei had shown them proof, only a select few were allowed to see it (for security reasons and others to be explained), their skepticism would turn into offers of employment or offers of money to sell it off.

Ten years ago, if Surei had brought the myth to life then, he would have been that desperate enough to accept that deal – if it ever came. And that was what Surei had a feeling that would happen: more people would offer him money for a chance to explore what Surei had found unknowingly.

"Doctor Higurashi. I must say that it is a pleasure to meet you in person."

Surei knew who this man was – and he didn't like where this situation was going.

He knew that this man was after: after all, Onigumo Naraku was the epitome of power, wealth and influence all over Japan. And he got whatever he wanted in every case. Naraku was known more than just a handsome face, plastered all over the news – mainly because of business deals and the dough he was raking in; he was known because he was a mafia leader as well as a collector of sorts. No one ever tried to fight against him and win: and even if anyone could find the leverage to support their suspicions, there were 'accidents' that revolved around the accuser.

Surei narrowed his eyes. They were no accidents – they were just obvious signals to the general public that Naraku would always win in the end...

Surei didn't fear Naraku but he didn't fight against him in court – simply because Naraku didn't do anything to him. Yet. Which was why this meeting was more or less (in this case) a surprise to Surei.

"Mr. Naraku. Always a pleasure," Surei turned around to shake Naraku's hand firmly.

Even when directly looking into his eyes... Surei knew that this man was never to be trusted. That this was a man grown to rule as a tyrant... The dark abyss was all Surei could see in Naraku's eyes...

"I see you have finally made yourself grow to a reputable business."

"I worked hard to get where I am today," Surei said blankly.

"I understand that much, Doctor. I'm just simply amazed that you're still alive and well."

Surei didn't look like he was fazed by Naraku's comment; he knew, eventually, that this meeting between them would happen. Since Naraku's power and influence got him whatever he needed, he could waltz in and see any document – at a library or a workstation – to his desire.

And it became apparent to Surei that Naraku had done research on him, to analyse his character.

"Doctor Surei, I hope you do not misunderstand. Mr. Naraku here is the new benefactor to our research facility."

"Is that so? Congratulations," Surei gritted his teeth, balling his palms into fists while looking dead straight in the eye in Naraku's direction.

"It is an honour to finally share the same workspace."

"Mr. Naraku is here to talk to you about your personal project. He hopes that he can find some general understanding to it perfectly well."

Naraku smirked, as Surei's personal assistant praised him so gloriously.

"Please excuse us."

The assistant, always so eager to listen to his boss, immediately fled the room – leaving the bitter business rivals in complete silence.

"What do you want, Naraku?" Surei spat out.

Naraku chuckled. "How observant of you to ask me that. And you are extremely gullible as well." Naraku's amusement turned into slight annoyance, his face turning darker in anger at every turn. But it wasn't enough to frighten Surei.

"Gullible? Or am I just brave enough to reject your proposal – or what may be classified to one?" Surei crossed his arms; although he started to feel pain in his chest...

"You should fear me. I can destroy you any way I see fit."

"Yet I'm not afraid. Someone has to stand up for themselves."

Naraku laughed. "Someone like you? Standing up for spineless cowards? People who became corrupt and filled with fear? You don't understand what I'm trying to point out, Doctor."

"Not everyone is scared of you. In the end, they're all preparing to take you down."

Before Surei knew what was going on, he found himself sprawling on the ground... struggling to breathe in fresh oxygen... All Surei felt... was his lungs collapsing in on themselves...

"It's amazing how you can say all that, and you can't even defend yourself now. That's truly pathetic."

Surei groaned, trying to stay awake... he was trying to save himself... to save his life's work... and his life's privileges...

"Contrary to your belief, but there is no one else to stand up for themselves. Even if there is, they will end up like you: rolling on the floor until you die."

Surei coughed, feeling the effects of the air content that he breathed in make their way into his heart... his mind...

And then, Surei had seen darkness.

**:3 :3 :3**

On the evening news, there was always something that seemed to affect the Higurashi family. Even if it only pertained to weather forecasts, Sakura and Surei always seemed to be either cheerful or disappointed by them.

However, this was nothing compared to the anguish and heavy sorrow mounted upon Sakura... When she first heard that Surei had died – first, from the police that called her – Sakura had denied it. It was the first step of grieving, or at least... one of those steps: denial.

Then when the news came on... that was when Sakura had realized that it was true; after all, Surei had health problems since the day he was born. So was it really natural? But then again, he had left a widowing wife and a little girl behind; knowing that she'd never see him again.

Hours after crying of her husband's sudden heart attack, proclaimed by the reporters and the coroner, Sakura couldn't find her voice to say anything. Not even to her little girl... Kagome...

She was ten years old and already she was also feeling quite mournful – she was too young to ever experience the full gravity of the situation... Kagome was a happy little girl, usually, and now that has changed.

Sakura didn't blame her... She only blamed God for letting this happen. Personally, she believed in Jesus, but now she was questioning her faith...

"Mommy?"

Sakura saw her daughter, still in tears, with a frightened yet melancholy expression on her face – that emotion most seen within her eyes.

"Kagome.. why are you out of bed, sweetheart?"

"Where's Daddy?" Kagome whispered, she knew the answer to that already... but she couldn't help say it out loud again.

"Kagome... we've been... discussing this. Your father is up in Heaven, now."

"Where... is he!" Kagome screamed out, as though she couldn't possibly accept her mom's explanation. He could not be dead. He couldn't be gone!

"Sweetheart, I miss him too..." Sakura whispered to her daughter, walking toward her – pulling her into a loving embrace.

Tears were shed, words of bleak comfort and moments of silence were shared that night.

**:3 :3 :3**

The funeral, often shown as a clichéd stereotype in the genre of angst movies, was just as bleak and depressing as one would go; the funeral was small, as it mostly consisted of living family members from Surei's side of the family – the ones who were able to make it at least.

Like other funerals, it was raining quite regularly – only difference was, was that the rain was pelting down like golf balls... The clouds that held the sky hostile were disbelievingly atrementous; they held misery and despair, and allowed no one to feel any positive emotion.

It was May 15th, and a week had passed since Surei had passed on...

Kagome Higurashi was only ten years old yet she knew what was going on; her family had always told her that one day, they may not be around. Yet they would always be in her heart – even though their souls would rise to Heaven. At the time, Kagome was convinced that they were never going to leave her...

Tears were streaming down her face, as she stood still... overlooking the grave site of her dear father.

Everything in her surroundings she ignored; she tuned everyone around her out.. as she kept to her thoughts. The thoughts that were plaguing her of her father's death.

"Papa... I'm gonna miss you," Kagome whispered solemnly.


	2. A High School Girl's WakeUp Call

**I would like to thank the following gorgeous people for reviewing:**

→ **3lue 3utterfly: Thank you for your input; I'm trying to find a beta-reader to help me revise (all my stories anyway) but I have no success as of yet. Keep on reading! ^_^**

→ **Sunrise Phoenix: Hey, I know you...! ^_^ Anyways, thanks for your review and I hope the rest of the story will please you :)**

→ **FanWriter88: Don't worry: I'll try to update as soon as I can :)**

→ **Sammixoxo: I'm sorry: I do not like giving out early spoilers (mostly because I had to deal with a sibling giving me them). Just wait and see :)**

**~Chapter 1~**

It was supposed to be another ordinary spring day in Tokyo; the sky was a magnificent bright cerulean blue, the sun was shining majestically across the city – warming the citizens of the comfort and relaxation it had to offer, and the clouds that were celestial and heavenly pure snow-white. The heat wasn't too terrible to deal with, but winter was the worst that anyone had to deal with.

For Kagome Higurashi, a regular high school senior, she didn't mind any of the seasons. But there was only one time of year that made her less cheerful and positive than usual.

Said teenaged girl shook her head, tresses of raven hair slipping out of the high pony-tail that Kagome put her hair in earlier that morning.

Winter was always harsh season; apart from the chills and the snow, Kagome forced herself to remain inside – locking herself up in her bedroom, doing homework and secret mourning of the passing of her father.

She still felt sad and lonely whenever she thought of her dad, as well as other people telling things to her about him, but Kagome wasn't as depressed as she used to be. She remembered going through horrible stages – or a critical period – in her life. Kagome recalled running away from home a lot (especially during the night-time) to go to the park, where she used to spend many carefree summer days with her dad. When she was eleven, she still went to that park – she figured she'd keep the memories alive..

But it all changed when she turned twelve; she locked herself up in her room, did nothing, ate nothing (or next to it anyway) and never spoke to her mom. She also turned into a major attitude problem. A few times, she would find herself get held back by her mother if she said something offensive. And Kagome would lie when her mom asked her where she learned that language. Of course, her friends didn't influence her to. Kagome learned them from other people.

Kagome sighed; still feeling regret from how she treated her family during those days. She hated seeing the pained look on her mom's face during those arguments, and how the way her grandfather looked rejected after being practically ignored by his grandchild. When she was fourteen, she swore she wasn't going to treat her family like that ever again. And her friends, for that matter.

"Kagome, Kagome! Kagome, over here!"

Kagome perked up, hearing her best friend Sango Taijo calling out her name.

She turned around slowly, taking in the sight of the friend – the only friend that didn't abandon her during her time of sorrow.

Sango wasn't like any other girl who Kagome met in grade five; Sango was genuinely a nice, sweet girl who dedicated her life to making friends, but it wasn't until grade eleven when Sango showed her true colours. Sure, she was still nice, but a certain boy managed to bring out her violent side.

His name was Miroku: he was known for being a player, but Sango scoffed and said that he was merely a pervert wanting to get in any young lady's pants.

Sango's eyes were the colour of an almond and they sparkled with both fiery rage and a sweet personality. Her mahogany pin-straight hair was normally tied in a low ponytail, which was long in length – it went to the middle part of her back. At first glance, one wouldn't know that Sango was a tomboy in any standard; after all, she wasn't afraid to voice her opinion on anything – especially if it came to Miroku's situations with girls.

Kagome chuckled. Sango and Miroku had a secret crush on each other, yet neither of them knew it. The would each try to make up some excuse – as pathetic as they usually were – to cover their requited love up. She would picture the two of them getting married someday, even though they'd fight half the time because of Miroku's womanizing ways. Even Kagome was sure that he would change... She always saw the best in people.

"Hey Sango."

Sango caught up to her best friend, pausing to slightly catch her breath. "What was it that was so funny to you just now?"

"It's nothing," Kagome grinned to herself, and fortunately for her, Sango dropped the subject: although the mischievous look in Kagome's deep brown eyes screamed the opposite.

"Anyways, did you hear what happened in Chemistry class?" Sango – like any other teenaged girl – practically couldn't help but chatter away gossip: usually she wasn't the type to spread around talk, but if she witnessed an event, or if she was part of one, she would tell her closest friends.

"No, what happened?" Kagome blinked twice, before the two girls started to go on their way home.

"Miroku got himself detention for a week. And for what? Mono-logging about the ideal female body, not to mention groping the teacher's ass," Sango seethed, starting to grow more angry as she thought about the events that happened no more than an hour ago.

"Since when was he in your Chemistry class?" Kagome asked.

"Are you kidding? Most guys transfer to Chemistry because of the gorgeous new teacher," Sango scoffed, but she was still feeling upset about the situation. "I don't know what Miroku sees in her! Her face looks like it went through Botox, and her boobs are just as real as Heidi Montag's," Sango continued, nearly raging to the point she would hit a nearby object in annoyance.

"There, there." Kagome tried to reassure her friend, but she didn't know what to say.

When it came to giving Sango love advice, Kagome tried to speak to her from the heart. Kagome didn't have much experience with guys, much less dating one in general. However, there was the one time when Hojo wanted to go out with her – but during her depression, he gave up on her. Like her other friends... But at least she still had Sango.

"What's wrong?" Sango questioned, noticing the abrupt change in Kagome's behavior.

"Never mind me. I was just thinking."

"Well... do you want to go to Wacdonald's? It's my treat," Sango proposed, telling herself that whatever Kagome was thinking... she would reveal it to Sango later. But she had a feeling it had to do with her life and the way it turned out.

Sango expressed deep sympathy for her; she lost her father and her mother at a very young age as well, and had to look after her little brother Kohaku. She also didn't want to talk about it, which made the two girls form a bond closer than friends: they were practically sisters.

"Okay, sounds good."

But, as fate would have it, the girls didn't get to talk over burgers and fries like they planned to...

Instead, the people awaiting the building were Kagome's mother and a man in a gray suit with a briefcase.

Kagome's facial expression faltered. There was only one reason why they were here: the reading of the will.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Hello, you must be Miss Kagome," The man greeted, holding out a hand for Kagome to shake. She took it – to her hesitance – but was far too confused by the present situation. "I am your family's attorney: Myouga."

Attorney? Kagome thought, slightly narrowing her dark eyebrows in confusion.

During the time of her father's death, never once did Kagome remember there being a man who would help the family with legal issues. However, since Kagome realized that she was stuck in her room parts of the time, she wouldn't be surprised if the attorney was there at the house to make some transactions. And discussing the will.

Kagome felt Sango squeeze her hand in support, silently saying that she was there for her. Kagome smiled in her direction before turning back to face Myouga.

"I wasn't aware that we had a lawyer," Kagome smiled weakly, looking toward her mother for answers.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you honey. But there were issues that needed to be discussed."

A pang of sadness rang through Kagome for a mere total of ten seconds, as she stood silent. She didn't show how affected she was of her father's death anymore, but there were times when people could sense that she was still troubled by it. Sometimes at night, Kagome would have nightmares regarding Surei's death; sometimes, she'd see him dying in many ways. At the end of these dreams – which all of them seemed to have a horrible ending – she'd end up crying and yelping. These went on about a couple of weeks before Kagome was recommended to see a therapist.

Kagome didn't have as many dreams anymore, well she did, but they weren't as horrible anymore. Except, they turned to morph into something else. It was like another person was brought into her nightmare, but she couldn't see who it was. She couldn't see his or her face. That frustrated Kagome to say the least but she didn't tell her family – simply because she didn't want to go through the therapy again. Besides, it wasn't as though the dream was physically harming her badly (neither did the mental aspect), so there was no harm. Not to mention she didn't want to worry her mother.

"Kagome, your father was one of my closest friends. There were things that he told me that I should pass down unto you."

"You were friends with Dad?"

Myouga nodded. "I knew him better than his co-workers did, and I knew what he was planning to do in case his health issues didn't clear up."

Kagome closed her eyes, suddenly being reminded of childhood memories; memories that included the times when her father was sick... there were a lot of days when they couldn't go to the park. And there were times when he wasn't up for watching a movie with her. Sure, it broke her heart, but after being explained by her mom, she understood that he had problems health-wise and nothing to do with her.

"You remember all those times when your father left for work? Even at night?" Sakura prodded her daughter, who looked as though she were trying to remember.

During her mid-life crisis – or so what Kagome had called it – she was at a point when Kagome cried to herself every night, saying that she didn't want to remember anything about her dad anymore.

"Yeah. I still remember."

"Your father was on the verge of discovering something that could have changed time and history altogether."

"What was it?" Kagome asked, but barely found the energy to raise her voice.

Myouga shook his head. "I cannot speak of it out in the open. It's a discussion better spoken of in your household."

What kind of work were you doing Dad? Kagome thought as a chill ran down her spine. She had a feeling... one of those bad feelings she got during certain situations.

She thought she knew her dad – they were practically close and they tried spending time with each other as much as they could. But times changed when she was ten. He left more frequently, barely saying goodbye to her. It broke her heart bit by bit, day by day; until she realized that her parents were hiding things from her. But at the time, Kagome was just a little kid. Incapable of understanding anything that her parents may have tried to explain to her.

Kagome now realized that both Sakura and Surei tried to protect her; they tried to protect her from something. But what could it be?

Was that the reason Myouga was here?

To tell her of her father's past?

In that case, Kagome knew she should be willing to listen.

**:3 :3 :3**

**And there you have it; the introductions are in order and the explanations will occur in the next chapter.**

**I hope you guys liked the chapter and I'll see you guys next time :)**


	3. The Truth Will Set Me Free Part 1

**This chapter was super tough to write 0_0: simply because I spent much time planning it out, getting the characters right and simply… inspiration. I know, I know – it's only like the second chapter and I'm already having writer's block.  
>Anyways, thank you goes out to:<strong>

**TheRealInuyasha****: Just look up Heidi Montag on Google – something should pop up LOL. And as for the spoilers, it's like people are actually trying to be lazy – as though they want to stop people from seeing the movie or reading the book. I swear, this generation has no respect! LOL just kidding. Keep on reading ^_^**

**Warm-Amber92****: If you can't wait to read this chapter, I bet you'll be BEGGING to know what will happen later on! Thank you for your review :D**

**Sunrise Phoenix****: Once again, I cannot tell you anything: but I appreciate the enthusiasm**

**Kagome39****: I don't think so! ^_^ You're not getting any spoilers from me LOL. Just read this chapter :D**

**Chapter 2**

"When I met your father, Kagome, I didn't seem to know at the time that he was the type of man to involve himself in a secret project. He had a kind heart, even though he did not show it often. But it was to be expected – taking the art of a swordsman's apprentice. At the time, I thought he was a difficult man to read."

Kagome perkened, causing the cup of tea in her hand to move about and spill unto her petite legs. She ignored the burning pain, which was to last temporarily. Her auburn eyes widened, and her posture changed to a frozen still, straightened back position. "He was a fighter?"

Myouga nodded. "You may know that your father had supposed health problems from when he was young. But those were just rumors."

Even Kagome's mother Sakura still seemed to appear astonished, as her facial expression turned into something completely unreadable. Her eyes glistened with mortification: worried of what her daughter would think of her.

Kagome felt butterflies take heed into her stomach. She couldn't fathom her father being healthy – she had seen him as a child, and she knew that he was never as healthy as one could hope to be.

"You shouldn't be so surprised, Kagome. Your father had many enemies. He had to protect himself somehow; and the work that he started."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, her shock turning into complete betrayal. "Enemies?"

"He was also an archeologist: after many years of search, he found the one thing that would change history altogether. Much less the world view."

Kagome stayed silent, deciding to calm down. After hearing that her father Surei had lied to her family, and knowing that her mother probably knew that he was always healthy, she wanted to deny it all: but that denial turned into anger and pain. Her mother accepted this? She liked the idea of her husband abandoning her?

"However, the people he trusted… most of them had turned on him; they wanted the glory, they wanted the money that came along with the discovery. Back then, I was just another researcher – helping along Surei. At first, he didn't trust me, but when I explained my full intention, we grew a mutual respect for one another. A few times he had gotten threats; and since I knew that he wasn't a type of man to fight well…"

"That was when he started to take up sword fighting?" Kagome asked, trying to sound unaffective. After hearing this piece of information, she started to feel less angry. Surely Surei had his reasons to act this way to his family; she was just a newborn at the time…

"Precisely. And it wasn't until you were a small child when things got worse for Surei."

"What do you mean?"

"Many people at his work station knew he had started a family around the same time he put his money into archaeology But it wasn't until the point when Surei's dig didn't show anything to him as he continued to study it. I tried to help him as much as I could."

"So why weren't the authorities involved?" Kagome wondered out loud.

Myouga's expression turned from relaxed and anxious to a look of rage. "I will explain that soon enough."

Kagome then had a feeling that there was a reason why the police weren't involved…

"Surei didn't trust anyone, apart from me at the time: which made him the only one to try to discover the secrets hidden beneath it. Unfortunately, since he had vague knowledge, it took him ten years to finally realize what he had missed."

A rush of memories ran through Kagome's mind: when she was ten… her father was out and about more often than usual. She was so naïve back then – she never realized that Surei had many things to worry about.

"That was around the same time other people noticed that he put so much money into something that wasn't worth that much; the project had lost partial value over time. But since Surei finally started to proclaim the identity of the… subject in question, there was an uproar."

Kagome felt her heart beat quicken, pounding against her chest: in her mind, there was a part of her that didn't want to listen to the story anymore… Yet the more logical, reasonable Kagome within her needed to hear this. This would settle her in a way, meaning that she wouldn't be able to be tortured over the fact that there was information kept from her.

"There wasn't anything Surei could do, except further research. I tried to hold off the offers from the other scientists, who wished to take over Surei."

"If his family was in danger, then why didn't he hand over that special project of his?" Kagome burst out, interrupting Myouga.

He then sighed. "Because he knew that there certain people who intend to misuse it."

"At the cost of his life, he wanted to protect it? He didn't care about his family did he?" Kagome spat out, with an icy tone in her voice.

"I understand that this is difficult for you, Kagome."

"Difficult? My dad said he cared about me, but he sacrificed his life just so his project can remain a secret? I don't care how much good came from it – but what he did was so selfish. Did he not think about us?" Kagome ranted, feeling frustrated. She didn't want anyone else she loved to die. She already lost her father… But what made her lose her temper like that was the fact that Surei couldn't have lived a normal life: even if they went into hiding, they would still be at risk. Kagome didn't want him to sacrifice his life for her, so she could end up living safe… Even if she was unaware of his intentions when she was ten.

"His death wasn't an accident, Kagome."

She stopped in her tracks, but took a sip of tea as she heard Myouga's words.

Kagome came to the conclusion that someone murdered him… but how was that possible? When he died that day, Sakura told her daughter that he died of a heart attack. And she believed it because she thought her dad was sick all the time… Instead of questioning the truth, she had fallen for it.

"How?"

"Naraku."

Kagome shivered, hearing that name. She knew who exactly who he was, so did everyone else living in Tokyo. Naraku was a notorious leader of his own mafia. He was more of a clever coward: seeing that the police was afraid of him. Naraku practically got away with anything that went by in this town. Even if someone were to question him, things would always favour Naraku.

"You're saying that Naraku killed him?"

"So you are aware of him."

Only because Sango told me about him. Kagome thought to herself. Sango's family was deeply involved with debt and loss, since Sango's mother passed away when giving birth to Kohaku. Their father was stricken with grief, yet he managed to take care of his children. But it wasn't until Sango turned sixteen that he died, and left his sister to take care of the two of them. Their aunty was fairly nice and was willing to support her niece and nephew. Even to this day, she still loved them. Even when Sango's brother went missing. Sango still felt disappointed within herself that she could not find him: but Kagome didn't know why she came to the conclusion that Naraku had kidnapped him. That was all Sango ever told her…

"The medic at the scene knew that Surei hadn't been killed by a heart attack. But I suspect that Naraku, or at least one of his minions, tipped him off."

Kagome stayed quiet; she didn't feel anything except numbness – the exact thing that she felt when she was twelve, when she was nearly over the unexpected death of her parent.

Kagome wanted to seek revenge… But why? Even though her father was murdered, she should not go into great lengths as to spill blood. Even if she were to testify against Naraku, and even if she had proof, Naraku would always win in the end.

"Kagome, there's one last thing."

"What is it?"

Myouga opened his briefcase, searching for a piece of paper. He looked briefly toward Sakura – who nodded, as though she were giving him permission.

"This is from your father; it's about the project."

"Why give it to me?" Kagome questioned aloud, as she accepted the letter from Myouga.

"This is the last thing that he wanted to give to you – if something were to happen to him."

Kagome took in a shallow breath. All of a sudden her emotions were starting to crumble from her heart: the very ones that she didn't want to release ever again.

What made Myouga think that she could do this? What made anyone else think that she was going to accept her father's reasoning, much less his gift to her?

"I appreciate you telling me all of this Myouga. But I'm still not sure what to believe." It was a lie; Kagome believed every word of Myouga. He was her father's friend… the only one that he trusted outside of her family.

Myouga sighed once more. He knew that Kagome wouldn't be able to process everything he told her in one day; and there were many other things that he held back from her. Once Kagome took on the project… then he would start telling her tiny bits of information most days.

She needed time, but Myouga did not know how much she would need. In fact, time was a luxury that one may as well could not afford – and unfortunately, time waited for no one.

"In time, you will." And with that, Myouga handed his calling card to Kagome – and told her if she ever changed her mind, then she would give him a call. Kagome merely nodded her head, as Myouga left the Higurashi household.

**:3 :3 :3**

It took time for Kagome to realize that Surei only did what was best for her; and she didn't even have to read the letter to understand it.

Even though she was completely upset with herself for bursting out in tears, right after the confrontation with Myouga about her father, Kagome had instincts. She needed to cry and nothing had stopped her from doing so.

She spent most of her time in her room, lying on her stomach on her bed.

Kagome thought about all what had transpired yet she didn't know what to do with the information that was being thrown at her.

She wanted desperately to talk to Sango, but she wouldn't know what to say to her first. That Naraku was behind her father's death?

Which led her to think why Naraku would have such a reason to do so. Was he interested in Surei's project? And if so, what was it that made it appealing to everyone around? What was so special about it?...

Kagome was tempted to read the letter. In her heart, she wanted to read it – she wanted to see the handwriting that she had missed… she wanted to imagine hearing his voice inside her mind as she read it…

She contemplated tossing out the darned letter – just to spite her father. But it would have been an insult to her dad's memory…She didn't want that...

Which made her realize that she would read it once. Then she would decide what to do.


	4. The Truth Will Set Me Free Part 2

**You know what is the worst? Waking up and logging on to your computer - noticing that your Microsoft Word is not installed: even though you had used it the previous night!**

**I am so pissed! :( And now I have to resort to using WordPad.**

**But anyways... I was thinking about what the content of this chapter should be: at first, I was going to have Kagome read the letter and feel upset (to an extent) but I had her emotions perfectly explicit in the previous chapter. But then I changed my mind... LOL!**

**Thank you goes out to:**

**- ****Sunrise Phoenix:**** You seem to guess everything right don't you? LOL. Just keep reading and you'll find out.**

**- ****Warm-Amber92: ****Thank you very much for your review: I don't seem to write suspense stories often (mostly because I suck at writing them and I have next to no inspiration writing them LOL). And yes, there will be secrets within secrets (like Inception - only involving secrets ha ha). Keep on reading :D**

**- ****Kagome39****: Yeah. I don't think so sister - I am not going to answer that in the A/U. LOL. Just keep on reading!**

**Chapter 3**

If Kagome wanted to, she could have torn the letter into pieces. She could have shredded ties with Myouga. She could have run away and never look back. However, that was her intimidated, opinionated personality talking. She was far too upset to even think about what could have happened if she did any of those things. She knew that there were severe consequences. She would have no one to look out for her, and she would have no one to care for. Yet it wasn't as though she would go through any of those things anyway: usually when she got upset over something - no matter if it was important or trivial - she threatened she'd run away. But in the end, she became too scared and didn't risk it. To be honest, she would be frightened - leaving her family behind at one point. Thus it wasn't in her nature to hold a grudge against someone who only wanted to tell her the truth.

The thing was, Kagome was only sixty percent sure out of all this; she still had a feeling that she had been withdrawn information. Even though she had trusted Myouga, even though Kagome wasn't completely sure as to why, to tell her the truth - it wasn't like he had told her everything that there was to know.

The other thing was if Myouga said was true, would she get herself involved in this? Even if it were to bury the past and have her father rest in peace for good?

Just thinking about what Surei had done... kind of made Kagome still feel angry toward him. She knew that he was only trying to protect his family, but there were other ways to make sure that they would be safe. Kagome really wondered if what he had done was that selfless at all... and maybe he hadn't thought about what happened to Kagome and Sakura.

Kagome felt confused - more so than ever as she continued to debate about this subject within her own conscience.

But what she knew was that she did not want to talk to anyone else on the subject; God, this reminded her of the day that her father died. She would refuse to talk to anyone, she stayed in her room, basically stayed silent half of the time before bursting into tears, she wouldn't eat or drink and slept until her head was screaming to get out of bed. But the main difference was that she had already gotten over her dad's death.

But this was worse.

Mostly because she thought she knew her father; it turned out that she wasn't even close to knowing his real self.

What was she going to do?

Kagome sighed heavily, sitting back up on her bed covers. As much as how soft, relaxing and heavenly comfortable the lavender bedcovers made her feel - she still wasn't comfortable. At least, emotionally.

She glanced at the letter - which she reluctantly accepted from Myouga - that was sitting patiently on top of her desk. It was screaming at her to be opened, and to be honest, Kagome was tempted to open it.

Her mind was at an ultimatum: was she going to open it up? Would she want to know what her father wanted? Or was Kagome going to put all of this behind her and never look back?

As much as she wanted to, did Kagome really think that she could handle it? She was usually tough, but there were a lot of times when that facade had ended - she would always turn out to have an emotional streak in some point.

Kagome shook her head once more. She was strong; she wasn't going to appear cruel and heartless - leaving her father to be abandoned. Besides: it would be one final time to really listen to his words. Kagome knew that she should respect his final wishes: for the past few years, she'd still hav enightmares, she'd still think of him - and of course she would have a feeling that there was something wrong.. something like being fed disinformation.

Even if Naraku killed - or at least had something to do with - her father, there was no way that Naraku would be off to jail. Not even hard evidence could arrest him. Which made things even more difficult for Kagome's family.

Would she get revenge? No. She was not that kind of person to destroy everything in her path, just to get satisfaction from a loss of a member in their family. Even though she was pissed off that there was a large chance that Naraku could have murdered her father... there was no guarantee that Kagome would leave it at that. As much as she wanted to avenge her father, as well as bringing justice to Sango's family as well, Kagome knew she could do nothing. After all, Naraku was more powerful than the police that patrolled the streets. And nothing could stop him.

Thus Kagome knew it was time to make a decision; she knew that she was stalling herself - trying to make herself believe that her father's problems were his own to deal with. She knew that she was bitter about him leaving her and her mother alone for a period of time: but she couldn't help but still think about what Myouga had said.

She was a compassionate person - which irritated her to some degree sometimes.

And the fact that she was human, who had to deal with stupid emotions, did not make things any better.

So why did Kagome not have the balls to pick up the letter and read it? That's right - because she was scared of finding out the truth. That fear could very well possess her for a long time..

Kagome growled.

Before she could stop herself, she hopped off of her bed and went straight to her desk - the goal in mind to catch the letter. But of course, she took a few moments to open it - meaning that even though she did have the courage to start reading it, she still didn't feel any better knowing that her father's work would come to rest.

_My dearest Kagome,_

_I cannot fathom the possibility of this happening; though by now you know what has happened. I have made sure to tell Myouga to tell you everything. Well, for the most part - mostly everything. I apologize for inconveniencing you, my Kagome. I did not wish for any of this to happen: and I don't blame you if you are holding a grudge against me._

_You may be of age when you are reading this - or at least close to being eighteen. It is come to my understanding, as well as Myouga telling you my tale, that I have made many enemies that are wanting to kill me. You are probably wondering why someone would want to take me out. It is simple - because of my discovery._

_Now think back to the fairy tales that your mother and I have read to you at night: think about what if those demons and mages are actually real to this day. Since you couldn't have understood when you were a child, I had to go to extra measures to keeping this fact a secret. Even then, you were scared of the possibility of demons ruling Japan. But you always asked me if there were good demons: I was surprised at that, Kagome. I do not believe that you remember asking this, since you were only five at the time. But perhaps you do remember._

_One day, I found him; I cannot say to you how a perfectly preserved half-demon remained that way over five hundred years or so. But I have used my sources and my own knowledge to discover that demons are slow at aging: far slower than the average human. I can't lie to you, Kagome: I thought this was the first proof of a demon - living in Japan, even in the past. Most people in this time usually scoffed to the idea that beings other than humans had walked this Earth. I kinew that this would change man's belief about religion as well as science: after all, did God truly play a part in creating demons?_

_I have done everything in my power to make sure that this demon would stay hidden; even humans inhabited greed - and I doubt that things have changed for the better in your time. They would want to exploit it in many ways: in other words, misuse it. I could not allow that to happen. Even in this time, technology quickly advanced. I wouldn't even be surprised if the project had been handed into other scientists' hands, they would find ways to experiment its powers on others. Or in other cases, use it for war purposes._

_I am not even sure if it is still safe today; though Myouga had assured me that no one else had found it. Which leads to my point._

_Since you are my only child, Kagome, I am asking you to take care of this demon: I may be asking too much of you, but you may decide that._

_My fate had already been decided, my little Kagome. But now you have to ask yourself, what is yours._

_I know that you will make the right choice._

_Your loving father,_

_Surei._

If Kagome thought that she was angry then, her behavior had rapidly changed when reading the letter. Sure, she may still be ticked off at her father: but now she knew the real reason. He did want to protect everyone else in the world from being exposed to the terror and danger if anyone else got to the demon first.

Kagome was skeptical, thinking that demons truly existed.

Yet, she did remember asking her dad if demons were real - and if there were good demons. Surei was struggling to answer his child's question: which led Kagome to believe now that they were indeed real. Kagome realized they would be in hiding; humans have overpopulated them, but not by many, and they could present themselves as a threat.

But what really puzzled Kagome was why her father chose her to take care of this one demon.

What was so different - or special - about this one?

That was one of her thoughts. More or less, she was also wondering what she was going to do.

Obviously she would make the right choice; but if Kagome declined.. she knew that she would be letting her father down.

She knew then that Surei trusted her to do it - not even Myouga had permission to take care of Surei's project.

But Kagome was no fool; there must have been other reasons. Like, did he know that she was going to accept it? Or what about the fact that there was a possibility that Kagome could have no interest in genetic engineering, or whatever Surei had done?

Sure, he went into plenty of detail as to why he did what he did. But he never really explained WHAT he had done to get plenty of enemies. Was it the fact that he was a good scientist and he had discovered beyond what his eyes told him?

Finance in Japan was difficult at that time, Kagome was told. Many people were greedy - and they would have done anything to receive it, as well as power. Kagome knew that the crime rate was high: more burglaries were committed, and even murders were daily news. But over the years, police had developed some balls to do something about it - if in fact, those crimes had nothing to do with Naraku.

Even back then, no one wanted to mess around with that crime leader. Not even Kagome wanted to think about Naraku...

And so, Kagome decided to respect her father's wishes: she was going to take up this project. It was what he wanted... How could she ignore her father's legacy?

She understood clearly that all Surei wanted to do was protect those who he cared about and those around the globe; Kagome would do the same. She was not going to let anyone steal this project and claim it as their own: while the economy was constantly at ends, with no way of being predicted.

Kagome was never going to let anyone get hurt - and it was as though she thought that people did get hurt by trusting Surei. And by trusting Surei, they would have endangered their own lives as well. Which was probably why Myouga was the only one that had been let in on the secret.

Yet did Surei know at the time that he would gain enemies, no matter what?

If he did, he wouldn't have ended up dead.

He would have been alive and kicking: being with his family. The one thing that should have mattered to him more than anything else...


	5. Time To Start Playing

**I felt so terrible a few weeks ago; I thrown up at least three times - and each time, it was PAINFULLY BRUTAL to endure! Next thing I'm thinking - I would rather die than throwing up like that ever again.**

**Anyways, here is the next chapter: but first, thank you goes out to these reviewers:**

**- ****TheRealInuyasha:**** Ja - thank you very much LOL. If you think you're sleepy, then try living in my shoes for a day! LOL.**

**-****Warm-Amber92:**** Nice! I would also hire Scooby-Doo and his friends too LOL. "completely mind f*cked" LOL. Sorry - that line made me kind of laugh. I hope you'll like this chapter!**

**- ****Sunrise Phoenix:**** Huh. I thought that the last chapter was longer than the other ones.. Oh well; guess I can't please everyone LOL! And as for the demon being an infant... I'm going to have to say no to that one and keep on reading! :)**

**- ****Mika:**** You are so smart: either that or psychic, ha ha. And thank you very much for your review!**

**Chapter 4**

When Kagome woke up the next morning, she did not feel like she was going to burst into pretend joy and say she was going to be alright. Instead, she was going to be honest with her family. After all, her mother would react instinctively because of Kagome's intermediate reaction to the sudden visit from Myouga. No matter if it was a bad reaction or a joyous reaction: Kagome knew that Sakura always had an opinion about these types of things. Especially since she was in the know about this...

She gave it a lot of thought the last night, before she went to bed; she read the letter twenty times to strengthen her decision - as well as thinking about it. In fact, she may as well have calmed herself down too: since she did not feel angry or depressed or saddened. But today there was no way to describe what she was feeling as of now.

Sure, Kagome was tired from spending most of the night evaluating her choices. She made up her decision and she was sticking to it. She wasn't going to live the rest of her life in disappointment, while others around her most certainly wallow in it as well.

Kagome decided that she wasn't going to let her father down; not in a million years. Yeah, she was still angry to an extent - but how else would she feel? Betrayed? But then Kagome had to take it into effect that she was just a small child way back then: she wouldn't have understood the situation back then. It was like Kagome was filled with too much of that innocence that was real, and Kagome thought if she could see herself through her father's eyes, maybe he thought that he wasn't going to corrupt her with dangers that may as well scare her into oblivion.

It was far too early to think that she might have forgiven her dad, for the pain that he had caused unintentionally. There was even a few thoughts about the future if he had never took it upon himself to start digging for some... artefact Kagome wasn't sure what to call it - after all, she had never seen it or heard of it. But to her father, and Myouga, it was worth fighting for apparently.

Let's hope that Kagome would think that way as well...

But to be brutally honest, she was still quite nervous about the thing; however, the one thing that she was merely worried about was whether or not if she would be able to live to live it down if she failed in her attempt to protect her father's treasure. Kagome was always a determinate person, but there were many times in her life when she didn't think she had it in her to do certain things.

But those were every day things that happened to everyone: but this situation was an entirely different matter.

Kagome shook her head; there was no way that she was going to get out of this now. Even if she were to be nauseous in the next twenty seconds or so. Not that she felt sick enough to throw up, but the butterflies in her stomach were torturing her as to see how long she would last.

"Kagome, are you awake dear?" Sakura knocked on her door before entering, taking in the sight of her daughter -who was now brushing her raven locks.

"Just getting ready for school, Momma," Kagome replied as cheerfully as she could, before encountering a knot in her stubborn hair. She cursed silently, feeling the slight twinge of pain as she continually brushed it over five to ten times.

Sakura was not convinced of her daughter's behavior. "Kagome."

Kagome could tell that from the way her mother was speaking to her, she was in for a discussion. But Kgaome knew she didn't have to worry about getting a lecture from her like if she were in trouble. Kagome had a feeling that this talk would bring out guilt.

"No matter what, your grandfather and I will support you the best we can."

Kagome was left speechless. Though she knew that her mother wouldn't be the type to pressure her into doing something that she was uncomfortable to do. It wasn't in Sakura's character to be the mother who wanted glory and respect for her family. She never forced her to be a prodigy child when growing up: only encouraged Kagome to do the best to her abilities, yet she still came out as one of the top leaders of the class.

But Kagome always managed to be surprised by her mother's words of comfort and encouragement.

"We'll talk about this over breakfast," Sakura smiled weakly before leaving Kagome to ponder over what had occurred.

**:3 :3 :3**

No matter how much confidence Kagome started out when waking up, there was always something - or someone - trying to deflate it. To her chagrin, it always worked.

Her grandfather brought up the subject first hand, saying many less-than polite critiques toward Myouga and about her father.

Kagome knew that her grandpa never approved of her father's relationship with her mother: it always angered him to know that he would abandon her to spend time on his latest archeological find.

Over the years, Kagome ignored it: the constant chatter of her family reminding each other of memories revolving around Surei. The horrid memories, the funny memories and the emotional memories. The pain throbbed until it became numbness that never progressed into something further.

"Kagome, is there something you wish to speak with us?" Sakura asked, after settling her father down to have something to eat.

"I guess."

"This isn't going to work if you're guessing, Kagome. Spit it out. We can handle it."

As her grandfather took a sip of orange juice, Kagome raised an eyebrow; would he? Would he really handle what she was about say? Probably not; knowing him, he would want to know why she would carry on the project that was the reason for her father's death. But why should Kagome care what anyone else thinks? She was only doing this to honour Surei: she wouldn't be able to live with the guilt if she could see how her dad was doing in her absense.

"Mama, I'm going."

It took five minutes for Kagome to try to explain herself, though she felt nervous as heck: she was indeed self-conscious about how other people would think of her and not how she thought of herself. It was a trait that she did not like, whatsoever, but there was no way of getting around it.

"Going where?"

"I'm going to finish Dad's work." Kagome simply stated, withdrawing her confident gaze from her grandfather who was surely to be shocked and mortified that Kagome would ever have to make that decision.

That choice was hers alone, and Kagome thought to herself that it should not matter if anyone else would think differently about the situation.

Yes, it was going to be difficult: the path with the unknown she chose to take... no one pressured her to - even though Kagome thought differently about it when Myouga had told her out of the blue about Surei's mission.

"This shall not happen! I will not have my granddaughter gallivanting around the world to get her hands dirty into mud!"

"I wasn't ever considering archaeology as a career, grandpa." Kagome threw a sharp glare toward her grandfather before continuing. "I was considering what Myouga said to me when he was over here."

"What is there to consider? I do not want you to follow the same destructive path your dad did. It cost him too much."

"What would you know! I just want to do this to honour him!" Kagome shouted back, enraged because she knew she had quite enough of hearing her father being disrespected. Yes, what he had done to their family was not exactly the best thing to do in any situation, but Kagome now understood it was because he wanted to protect his family. Kagome knew now that he never wanted them to be dragged into the mess that he unknowingly created.

"There is no honour in following his footsteps."

"This is important, grandpa! I just want to do this to let him know that what he did wasn't in vain. What would you know what could have happened? How could you understand?"

And with that, Kagome ran back to her bedroom - thinking how could she have possibly thought that she would gain support from her family.

:3 :3 :3

What would her grandpa know? What would he know about Surei's project? Why would he hate Surei for acting so selfless?

Kagome knew the real story - well, the one that she had been told by Myouga.

Her tears of anger and bitterness were gone, but she was still upset. Kagome wanted support from her family, and she knew that her grandpa would not take it very well when she wanted to be like her dad. She knew that there was a reason Surei had to choose to act as he did, and it must have been one important reason.

Kagome was always curious to seek out the unknown, she was always wanting to discover something that would be life changing in some way. Kagome wasn't a religious person, regardless of the fact that her family owned a shrine, yet she wasn't an athiest either: she wasn't pressured into following other beliefs or vice versa.

Yet her grandfather started to pressure her when she was only a kid; he basically told her that it would be her duty one day to look after the shrine. He always told her that it was a special job of sorts, but he would never tell her what it was exactly. It frustrated Kagome to the core, but she realized that she would find out eventually - if she were to keep up any interest.

No. There was something much more to this than she would have originally thought; her grandpa wouldn't tell her - not even if she begged. Whatever the story was, it would have been pretty horrible that her grandpa started to lose any respect - if he had any - toward Surei.

Would Sakura know?

Kagome shook her head. She wasn't going to trouble her mother with thoughts like this even though Sakura could talk about Surei without crying or leaving the room.

"Kagome?"

"Mama." Kagome acknowledged her parent's presence, but made no move to look her in the eye. Instead, the teenaged girl continued to wallow in her self-pity - lying on her stomach on her bed, which gave her next to no comfort in the least.

"Sweetheart, I know that confrontation wasn't up to your expectations. But your grandfather... he is getting ill."

Kagome knew what that meant. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are, Kagome. He didn't mean to upset you like that."

"He only wants the best for me," Kagome murmured. She remembered having a similar conversation with her mother before; she was ten. She was training to become a shrine keeper; she tried to listen to her grandfather's demands of how perfect everything should be, how things should be run and other expectations. Kagome couldn't handle the daily rituals, so she ran away from him. It was a stupid choice, but Kagome didn't even know that back then. But still - in retrospect, she could have handled things a lot better. Sakura was undoubtedly worried: she couldn't find her daughter anywhere, and not even her father knew where she had run off to.

But after countless minutes, did Sakura think of looking by the Sacred Tree. She knew how much Kagome loved to climb it - she was adventerous and fearless, after all. To her complete dismay, Kagome was covered in scratches and bruises - and she was also crying.

Sakura did the best she could to comfort her; but then she asked her, why did she fall? Kagome didn't know the answer, as she was puzzled to what her mother meant. Sakura had smiled and told her, 'So we can learn to pick ourselves up' (1) . It took time for Sakura to explain things fully for Kagome: merely an hour, it seemed. She told her that her grandpa wanted Kagome to have a future, even if it were spent with her family. She also explained that her father was getting old and needed the company. Kagome cheered up immensely, and helped her grandpa until she turned thirteen - when she started junior high.

"Remember how guilty you felt when you ran off on him seven years ago?"

"I can't possibly forget that." Kagome hated being reminded of that. It was one of the few times when she acted extremely obnoxious and felt guilty about her temper at the same time. It was amazing indeed that her grandfather forgiven her for her behavior.

"Do you remember when you were thirteen? When you told him straight off that you didn't want this future?"

Kagome nodded, the memory still clear and never forgotten.

"I knew you didn't feel guilty at all because you were honest with him. It would have pained him to know that if you lied to him, and say that you wanted that life forever. It hurt him, but it didn't hurt him as much as it would have if the other thing happened."

Sakura began rubbing Kagome's back. "You have our support, Kagome. Even if it will take a while for your grandpa to realize it."

"But the only reason why I'm agreeing to this is because dad would be disappointed in me if I hadn't."

Sakura chuckled, her brown eyes glowing with amusement. "You already make us proud Kagome. And you make him proud too."

"Thanks."

"You can call Myouga when you are comfortable in doing so. We won't stop you."

"Thanks."

**:3 :3 :3**

In Kagome's opinion, it is like everyone in the whole world is psychic: they could tell things were going to happen before they actually do. When Kagome called Myouga to tell him that she was going to accept his terms, not even he sounded the least bit surprised. It was like he knew that she was going to make that decision.

Kagome was determined to not let anyone down, like she promised to Myouga on the phone. Even though she had school, Kagome would manage her time wisely: but even she knew that it would be hard to keep track with her school work. But it also depended on how much time she would spend on this project since she still had next to no idea what she was to even do in the first place.

Though the fact that Myouga had given her an address, which lay by the darker, more violent part of Tokyo, kind of reassured her that she would get informed. But at the same time, knowing that where her father worked - where she was about to work now - was in a dangerous neighbourhood, well, that didn't calm Kagome down one bit.

"Miss Kagome, I am glad that you have made it," Myouga greeted her with warmth and acceptance, shaking her hand.

"Thanks," Kagome simply replied, feeling a tad bit shy to speak up.

"Your father would be so proud of you, taking on the family project."

"That's why I'm doing this," Kagome chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, let's come along. There's a lot of work that needs to be done."

Myouga then led Kagome to a disshapen, dilpitated building that looked like it was going to fall any moment. It wasn't a tall building, but it wasn't short either. All that Kagome was concerned about was the fact that there were no windows, the colour of the building was an onyx black as though it went through a fire rather than a distasteful exterior design gone wrong.

It wasn't until when Kagome entered the building did she realize there must have been underground storage; after all, there were elevators that occupied the main floor. Meaning that the main floor was only a stage while the real deal went down below.

Kagome wasn't a claustrophobic, but she was concerned about the safety of the elevator. She bit her lip. Was it properly maintained? Did it rust? Or did it even work in general?

"Kagome? Are you coming?"

"Are you sure that these elevators are safe to go on?" Kagome asked skeptically.

"Of course. The last regular check-up was three months ago."

Three months? Kagome thought to herself, but figured it wouldn't be in her place to question Myouga about the work habits of the maintanence workers. Instead, she followed Myouga into one empty elevator, keeping her discomfort to herself.

"So what is it I'm supposed to do?" Kagome asked.

"You'll see when we get down there." Unfortunately, that was all that Myouga planned to say. But he wasn't surprised that Kagome wanted to desperately know the unknown. She was stubborn to retrieve information, but stubborn in general. She was definitely Surei's daughter.

Whe he first looked at her, the first thought that appeared in his mind was Surei. It was like he was reincarnated into a teenaged girl... But Myouga had evaporated such foolery from his mind. He knew that Surei had started a family, but he didn't get the chance to see them.

As Myouga continued to think to himself of how Kagome was so similar to her father, Kagome also had things on her mind.

She knew that she could trust him, but for some reason - her instincts told her that that he was not trustworthy in the least. Sure, Kagome had a feeling like there was something that was excluded from the discussion. Sure, there was something odd about him but it wasn't like Kagome would take the time to figure out what that was. It was not any of her business as to who Myouga was; she only thought that she could trust him. Her father had done it, why couldn't she?

**:3 :3 :3**

After meeting countless people, who knew her father no doubt, who tried to settle Kagome in - to make her more comfortable - that was all it took to make her feel drained of energy. Regardless, she did not give into her inner demon who wanted to get her rest and forget about the whole thing.

Either way, there was much use to convincing herself that there was no way in heck that she would be able to forget this. Without a doubt it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Kagome was still pretty anxious about the whole thing, but not as much as she was before; now, she had many other people that she could talk to without hesitation. Many of who she had recently met seemed pretty nice, and of course there were some that did not like her being there. But once again, Kagome put that far behind her brain - she shouldn't feel unwelcome. After all, she was the one that had to continue this project - to see it being finished.

After following Myouga deep underground, and asking the same question that possessed her all this time but not once had she received a specific answer, that also made her exhausted. Oh well; at least she was burning calories.

"This is it." Myouga stopped abruptly, in front of a locked door - blending in with the rest of the murky corridor. But Kagome could easily tell that there was a door and she did wonder if anyone could see it as well.

"When was the last time you've been in here?" Kagome inquired softly.

"It's been some time, but it wasn't that long."

"You've been here recently then?"

Myouga paused. "Someone has."

And with that, the awkward reply had turned into an awkward silence - leaving Kagome to ponder over Myouga's words.

She decided, in the end, that she wasn't going to find out. If it was not a concern of her's, why would she want to know?

Of course that decision was a lie. She did want to know. Desperately. It did have something to do with her in some way, but it was only because of the project that she was about to oversee. But Kagome knew that Myouga wouldn't tell her; not from the way that he was standing or his posture anyway.

"Are you coming in?"

"Yes."

Her heart beat fastened when she found herself stepping into a dark, murky room. However, it stopped completely when she saw something or someone beyond the looking glass...

**:3 :3 :3**

**You should totally hate me now for leaving this cliffhanger LOL! But seriously guys, Kagome will meet InuYasha in the next chapter. Like it's a spoiler...**

**(1): I couldn't help but include Alfred's quote from Batman Begins. I don't know - it just seemed to be the right kind of advice that Kagome needed LOL!**

**Anyways, please leave a comment and let me know what you think! **


	6. Hatred At First Sight

**~ This chapter had been hard to write for a variety of reasons; the main one being is that I've been trying desperately to make the first meeting between InuYasha and Kagome as awesome as one would expect it to go. And second, I had difficulty deciding how long this chapter should be in terms of word content. I know it isn't as long as the previous ones but I hope that you do enjoy this chapter :P**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**- ****TheRealInuyasha**: (Takes me too long to write, ha ha) LOL !sdrawkcab daer t'nac I

**- ****Warm-Amber92**: Thank you very much for your concern; isn't throwing up the worst? Ha ha :P And yes, Batman is one of the awesomest super-hero/adventure flicks I've seen! Gotta love Alfred, LOL.

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: So, we've got another Batman follower, do we? (grabs shotgun) Just kidding, just kidding LOL! And let's see if Kagome will handle InuYasha: even on the first day ;)

**Chapter 5**

The legends were true; every detail was described to perfection, each story held fascination and impossibilities, but it was all true.

Kagome was different: she believed that no legend could be true unless there was evidence to support it. Even as a little girl, she was skeptical of the stories that her mother had told her at bedtime. Those stories revolved around the feudal era - the ideal fairytale setting in Japan. The characters that were introduced in those stories were demons; creatures that were not human, though they had took human forms. There were thousands of demons that variated in shape and form; for instance, Kagome remembered in one story that there were dog demons. They appeared as though they were humans, only for some key differences seperating the two species. Dog demons had elf-like, pointed ears, they had honey gold eyes that were filled with haughtiness and displeasure, red markings on their cheeks - which were as celestial and pale as the moon itself - and wrists, and their minimum height would be around the same size as an average man/woman. Kagome liked hearing these bedtime stories, but didn't think much of it as she grew older: they were meant to stay as only alleged chronicles.

Her eyes dilated, taking in the sight that she never thought that she would see. Her first thought? It was amazing. Sure, Kagome could have denied it all and said that it was all a dream and nothing more. The truth was though, it was actually reality, and Kagome was willing to accept that. If she were a real scientist, she would accept it right away as a partial contribution to her scientific community. But Kagome was not a scientist. She was just a girl in high school who was trying to graduate. She was just a girl that was raised to believe that if things were not proven to be true scientifically, it was not logically possible to exist in real life.

But it was difficult accepting the fact that even though that... this was real, she couldn't believe that her FATHER had discovered this; she had heard that his luck had never been more than bad, yet it changed exponentially for some reason. Kagome never dwelled on that thought.

She kept staring at it.. or rather, the puerile boy or - man - who also reciprocated the staring contest challenge.

Kagome had never seen such eyes before - they were a musky, shiny, tawny colour - as though they were the sun. She had to admit, that he was handsome, though she had a feeling that he was not someone who would take kindly for a girl like her to be staring at him in awe. Kagome could tell by the way his eyes held such emotion. Whether if it was anger, Kagome didn't know.

She was far too busy taking in the rest of his features to fully notice his uncomfortable stance. His hair cascaded down to his waistline, which was prosperous, glowing ivory and immaculate. Kagome was a little envious that his hair seemed to be in far better shape than when she tried to take care of her own, but she ignored the matter completely. She noticed his skin was the opposite of being pale: in fact, his complexion was buff and sun-kissed. But Kagome wondered if his face was more tanned than the rest of his body, which led her to provocative thoughts on her part. She shook her head, trying to control herself. She shouldn't even let her hormones try to take control of her senses; the last time that she held specific interest in a boy, who was deemed to be popular as well as excruciatingly good-looking, he was not interested. Rejection was not exactly something one can get over in such a short amount of time. Thus, ended her hopes of trying to find true love.

She moved on to gazing at his facial features; at once, Kagome assumed that he was not old to say the least. She had to also assume that he looked around her age, maybe even a year or so older. Once again, she was overcome with envy: she knew that dog demons aged exponentially slower than humans did, according to the stories that she had heard. She was drawn to his lips, which were pouting. Kagome could tell that he was not pleased that she was scrutinizing him with her own eyes, but she figured it was only because he wasn't used to her presence yet.

Kagome then noticed something twitching upon his head; she gasped, seeing a pair of adorable dog ears, but wanted to say they were puppy ears, nestled on top of his natural, snow-white head. They were the same colour as his air, but the insides were a soft, light pink.

Upon instinct, Kagome wanted to go up to him and rub those ears; to her, they were perfectly cute!

Kagome then saw his reaction; did she see a slight blush on his cheeks? Kagome had to resist a smile, but it was hard to when seeing the embarrassed look he had on his face.

The other thing that Kagome couldn't help but cognizance his clothing; she hadn't seen a kimono like this in her life. It was deep, crimson red, and it covered most of his body, like kimonos should. Except for his hands, which were crumpled into fists.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Myouga asked, requiring Kagome's opinion as she continued to study the demon in question.

"I guess," Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "But, isn't he a full demon?"

Like he had heard her from behind the glass that seperated them, the boy growled by response, showing his fangs - causing Kagome to blink repeatedly.

"No, he is not. He is born of both a human and a demon."

Kagome nodded, biting her lip before going back to study the demon in question. She guessed that it was a difficult subject to talk about, seeing how his reaction went. But Kagome shook her head - it was simply a coincidence. She didn't think that he would understand English.

"How old is he?"

"In demon years, he is roughly about a hundred and fifty years old - if you exclude the fact that he has been unconscious for five hundred years."

Kagome blinked, having the urge to drop her jaw in amazement. "Really?"

"Yes. In human years, he is around eighteen or nineteen years old, as you can tell."

Kagome also figured that demons, or a half-demon in this case, had long life-spans.

"What's his name?"

Myouga shook his head. "Neither your father or I know that. He has not spoken a word to anyone."

"If he has been awaken recently, wouldn't he know that he is in a different time?" Kagome wondered out loud.

"I am most certain that he does know."

"What else do you know about him?"

Myouga laughed. "Kagome, if we've discovered more to him, we would not have you here now, would we?" Kagome blushed in embarrassment, mortified that she had not worded the question right.

"I guess that's why I'm here, right?" Kagome chuckled. "But what am I supposed to do?" Kagome gazed into the half-demon's eyes.

"Speak with him."

"But how am I supposed to do that? He might not even speak English!" Kagome protested, but as she turned around, Myouga had left the room.

Kagome sighed; ever since she had arrived, she did not receive much information. For example, when she asked about the half-demon's heritage, it was like Myouga was hiding something. It was as though he refused to tell her anything.. It was like she was supposed to find out herself. Kagome had always found it to be a pet peeve of hers: when she wanted to know something, she never got any answer to it - depending on what the question was and how much she would like to know on the subject. Even if she couldn't find the answer herself, people were always telling her to look beyond the obvious and try harder. It got on her nerves frequently, but tried hard to ignore them.

Kagome knew for certain that Myouga definitely was holding back information from her. Did her father know? Did Myouga know the mystery from him? Or did they discover it together? Kagome noticed that Myouga had told her right off the bat that he was a half-demon born from a human parent and a demon parent. It was like.. he knew him.

Kagome shook her head. She wasn't about to come to this conclusion when she knew so little about the subject. Instead, she was going to use her time wisely: she was going to do everything in her power to make sure that Kagome would find the right answers. Which led her to the same question as before; what was she supposed to find out? Who his parents were? Why he got stuck in time and woke up five hundred years later? Or just this guy's history altogether?

The problem was, the only method she could think of was asking him. Kagome wasn't even sure if he could understand her, or if she could understand him. That was the major obstacle; how would she obtain the information?

Not to mention that the other problem was the fact that he didn't trust her; after all, this was their first meeting. She would have to take things slow: she didn't want to upset him.

"What is a young woman like you doing in these chambers?"

Kagome felt a shiver of discomfort run down her back after hearing a clever, masculine voice interrupt her thoughts. Kagome turned around and nearly gasped.

The man was dressed in expensive black clothes - in other words, an Armani suit and onyx tie - and it fit his body comfortably. Kagome did not think that this was a handsome, good looking man: seeing that his dark chocolate hair was indeed longer than her own and went past his shoulders. His complexion was ghastly pale, not the heavenly snow white like the half-demon's hair. His eyes were a crimson colour and held terror.

"I'm supposed to be here," Kagome said quietly, tucking a stray piece of ebony hair behind her ear nervously.

"Ahh, you must be Kagome."

She felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze: and she did not take it so well when she felt his eyes look up and down, as though if he were judging her body. Kagome felt disgusted and somewhat scared in his presence. "Y-yes, I am."

What truly terrified her now was his contortion; the way his lips moved upward slightly made him look... like a dictator: someone to be feared.

"I am Naraku," He held out his hand, expecting her to shake it like decent people do when meeting one another for the first time.

Kagome knew it must have been apparent that he knew that she was uncomfortable around him. Yet, she was not going to let anything scare her. She took a deep breath before taking his... frosty cold hand in hers. What started out as a handshake turned into something... unbearable.

Before Kagome knew it, she felt a pair of lips attach themselves unto her wrist, for a mere total of five seconds. Kagome felt bile rise up in her throat, but she managed to calm down her racing heart beat and to swallow the puke that was threatening to come out.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome whimpered out, barely managing to contain her fright.

After hearing his name, she felt like she was having a heart attack; what would someone like him, especially if he was the top mafia leader in Japan, be doing here? Why...Myouga never said anything about Naraku being involved - wait. Kagome distinctly remembered him telling her that Naraku was allegedly involved in her father's death: would.. would he be after this half-demon? It would make sense... but how did he find out about it?

Was this another thing that Myouga failed to point out to her? Was she also supposed to learn about Naraku as well?

_This was not in the job description!_ Kagome thought to herself, starting to panic once more.

"I have heard that a beautiful woman has been misled and I have come to offer my assistance."

Kagome offered a weak smile. "That's.. awfully generous of you, but everything is just fine here."

"Are you sure?" Kagome felt like he was trying to undress her with his eyes... which felt more than awkward.

"I'll let you know if I need help," Kagome lied, which she hated to do: but it was a desperate situation. She wanted to get this creep off her back.

"Please don't hesitate to come find me... I am willing to help you if you are in trouble," Naraku said, kissing Kagome's hand once more. And with that, he made his exit, but not before smiling in her direction.

As the door closed behind him, Kagome sighed in obvious relief. She knew that she had to be extra careful around Naraku; even though he was acting polite, Kagome had a feeling that was not who he appeared to be. The question was, how was she going to deal with him around? She knew that he was involved in this somehow, and she was curious and suspicious as to why that was. The only way of knowing would be asking Naraku himself: and that was certainly never going to happen as far as Kagome was concerned. As far as she was concerned, Naraku was going to be an obstacle into obtaining the truth about the half-demon in the room, whom she nearly forgotten.

Kagome felt a pair of eyes stare into her head, and so she looked up: meeting his gaze. The boy looked truly concerned, but if Kagome wanted to be honest with herself, she'd know that he also did not like Naraku. It was like... he knew him.

Kagome then sat down on the floor, which was the only place that she could; the room was void and empty, there was no furniture, or any equipment that would try to be helpful during Kagome's studies. She had to make a mental note to remind Myouga that she would need a desk, chair, paper, pens and a computer. There was nothing in the room that could certainly help her now. Except for the test subject itself.

She sighed; she may as well start introducing herself now. Kagome figured it would be the only way to start. Now she wondered if he would talk to her. Well, here goes.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I know you guys will hate me for leaving the chapter like that, but hey - I've got stuff planned later on, and I would really like to keep things that way. What you should be more concerned about is Naraku. 0_o**

**Please leave a review: I would like to know what you think :)**


	7. A Perverted Pal's Secret

**I hope you guys won't kill me in my sleep! ^_^ I had a little time-skip for this chapter, but do not worry: it's mostly looking back on the time that Kagome first met you know who. **

**Thank you goes to these fine reviewers...**

**-****Sunrise Phoenix**: I always despised Naraku, although he is remarkable as a villain. And when Kagome does talk to InuYasha, let's just say he can understand her. Why? You'll find out in later chapters ;)

- **TheRealInuyasha**: !ees I sdrawkcab gniklat llitS

- **Warm-Amber92**: Exactly what I was thinking: Naraku is indeed a creeper with a capital C!

**Chapter 6**

Six days. Six grueling, horrible days passed since Kagome began to take over her father's work. Each day was more frustrating to deal with than the last; the only good thing though, was the fact that Kagome didn't see Naraku in any of them.

What really angered her down to the core was the patience that she had for the half-demon, who she had yet to learn the name of. When she first introduced herself, he just crossed his arms, looked away and refused to say anything in return. It was like she never said anything at all. Kagome thought it was downright rude to ignore someone like that, but she didn't voice it. Instead, she just went back to studying his behavior. Just by looking at him for the second time did she realize that he was introverted, uncomfortable with her around him and filled with anger - just enough to see that he may want to kill her.

Kagome scoffed. As much as he tried to look intimidating, Kagome just didn't feel frightened around him; he just made it all the more interesting to study whenever Kagome got the chance. She prayed that he should be used to her presence in time. But she silently vowed to herself she wasn't going to quit, even though there were going to be major obstacles that were going to be thrown at her.

To be honest, she didn't really think about how she was going to fit school into the equation. She knew that school handed out tons of homework from its teachers, who expect nothing less from their students, and that she only had one day of rest - until the Summer holidays at least. Kagome knew that it was going to be difficult to be heading over to the lab, which approximately would take her twenty minutes to drive to accompanied, and do her homework at the same time. She had to manage her time well the best she could. At a cost.

For instance, Kagome didn't have much sleep for the past six days: after a couple hour's worth of trying to introduce the concept of socialization to the demon, who had yet to give her his name, supper, a forty minute shower and three hours worth of homework and studying, Kagome felt exhausted. And it became the new routine for the week. This resulted in crabbier moods from Kagome - which people tended to avoid, whether if it were her friends or her family.

No matter how crabby she was feeling, six days were enough to make a girl like her go insane; she wondered if her other friends would have done the same as she did. She wondered if they would have done her father justice to finish what he had started. Kagome then realized that none of her friends were intersted in science. Well, her old ones anyway. For certain Sango was more of an athletic type than one who would spend most of their days cramped up in a room with nothing but a computer and a science experiment.

Kagome groaned, as she continued to walk slowly to school. She knew that Sango wouldn't be happy for lack of contact; she may as well think that Kagome was avoiding her - which she would never do. If Kagome did happen to see her anytime soon, she would have to do major explaining; Sango wasn't the type of person to just quit on Kagome if she was being avoided, whereas most of her other friends didn't bother being loyal to her because she didn't want to hang out with them. Sango was more loyal than Kagome could have asked for in a friend and she didn't want to give that up. Because let's face it - without Sango, Kagome didn't know who else she could depend on when she was in trouble.

Which led her, yet again, at a landslide. If she told Sango everything: about the half demon and about Naraku, Kagome wouldn't know how well she'd take it. First, she'd probably harp at her about keeping this from her. But that was probably the worst that Kagome could ever hope for.

"Higurashi!"

Kagome sighed solemnly. Speak of the devil...

Sango was furious; she was coming close to exploding with rage and tenacity and would dare to take it out on others. However, Kagome was her main concern. For whatsoever reason, Kagome had not called her, or talked to her much less acknowledging her presence. Sango was indeed shocked. Why would Kagome do such a thing? She never did anything to receive the silent treatment. At first, Sango thought it was because of the relentless talks of her trying to set her up. Kagome appreciated what her friend was trying to do, but had explained to her several times that she didn't need a boyfriend. But au contraire, Sango thought the opposite; whenever Sango mentioned her supposed love interest Miroku, she would see sparks of envy appear in Kagome's eyes before they vanished temporarily. Sango knew that she was lonely; she did need someone to give her immense comfort. Something that even a best friend could not provide. Well, at least, another comfort that could only be sought through love... Not that Sango didn't love her best friend, but she figured that Kagome deserved LOVE.

But Sango didn't think that THAT was the reason; there had to have been something else. Something that must have occupied Kagome's mind for a period of time. But what could it have been?

"Sango! It's been a while," Kagome flashed a toothy grin. But Sango was not amused; she placed her hands on her curvaceous hips in an orderly manner. Her rage was all but certain; who would she go after if she had that fiery gaze in her eye? Who would she lean to kill next? Sango was known as a killer athlete: and she was so competitive, that most of the kids in the school worshiped her for her fierceness. But the male population never stood a chance to survive against her: meaning that most of them would not even think about going on a date with her. But since Sango had mentioned Miroku, Kagome knew there was hope. From what she knew about Miroku, Kagome knew that they were the perfect couple: she was practically the only woman that could keep Miroku in line, even if it was only for a short amount of time. And from what also she had been told, was the fact that Miroku was the only man that was stupid enough to stroke her ass - but if Kagome was a mindreader, which she had the capability to do so, she guessed that Sango enjoyed it. And she said that Miroku was a perv.

"It's been a while? It's been a week, Kagome! You haven't even talked to me ONCE! How could I not be upset about that?" Sango ranted.

"I'm sorry, I really am, Sango," Kagome replied, trying to calm down her furious friend.

"I'm sorry about freaking out on you Kags, but it really hurt me when you just.. ignored me all week."

"I was.. busy," Kagome said, while her friend's light brown eyebrows raised up skeptically. But she didn't have the urge to continue to yell at her friend, which would make things worse in a way. "with family stuff," Kagome finished, knowing that ending was probably lame. But Kagome didn't know what to truly say to Sango; her mind was at odds, meaning that whatever she had planned to say had been jumbled. She had been concerning herself over matters like 'what would Sango think if I just said this?'.

Sango's eyes softened, and so did her temper; Sango was one of the few people that truly understood Kagome's home situation. She went through a similar perspective after all, and that was one of the many reasons they had become friends. Sango would truly forgive her once Kagome explained the truth. Nor would she ever blame her.. If Sango did the same thing, Kagome would not blame her if she had 'ditched' her for a week. Family came first in their lives after all.

"What happened?"

"Remember when we were walking home from school that day? You know.. when we were talking about Miroku and his recent conquest?" Kagome smirked, enjoying the blush that was easily painted on her friend's cheekbones. Every time the subject of Miroku came up, Sango would undoubtedly flush in embarrassment. Sango **liked** him.

"Yeah," Sango nodded her head, while trying to rid herself of the blush that was appearing on her cheeks.

"We were off to Wacdonald's, remember?" Kagome stopped short, when a stare coming from Sango's eyes interrupted her - telling her to get on with the story. Kagome swallowed her fear. "This man showed up with Mom and he claimed to have known my Dad," Kagome explained.

"I guess he wanted something, did he?"

"It's.. kind of personal," Kagome hesitated, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, as long as you know what you're doing, I'm not going to bother you to tell me what is up. Maybe if you're ready to tell me, but," Sango copied Kagome's action of the shoulder shrug. "you don't have to. If it's personal, I understand."

"Thanks Sango," Kagome smiled, pleased that her friend did have a heart and chose to forgive her for her past behavior. "And really, I am sorry for treating you that way. I've just been stressed about everything."

"If an old guy shows up and tells you that he knew your father better than anyone else, well, I can see how you'd be upset." Sango then took notice of Kagome's clothing. "Where are you going?"

"Today's Monday, isn't it? We have school."

Sango shook her head, with a small smile presenting itself on her lips. "We don't, silly. It's not Monday. It's Sunday," Sango reminded her friend, who looked a little shocked before realizing that her best friend was telling the truth.

"Whatever you've been doing lately is messing up your weekdays," Sango giggled.

"I guess so."

"Want to stop by Wacdonald's? My treat."

"Let's hope no one else stops us this time."

"Kagome, please don't jinx us. Please."

**:3 :3 :3**

"Mmm.. I haven't had a good meal in weeks," Kagome grumbled, chewing her cheeseburger - her second one to be exact - slowly, wallowing in the taste of the fast food specialty. Meanwhile, Sango was picking at her salad numerous times before deciding it was safe enough to eat; but that didn't stop her from eating a snack wrap just moments before.

"Are you kidding? If anyone didn't have good food to eat, it was me."

"What have you been doing?" Kagome asked, narrowing her eyebrows in curiosity before taking another bite out of her juicy cheeseburger.

"Track practice. As well as keeping you know who in line," Sango grumbled angrily at the last comment, tearing her eyes away from Kagome's watchful gaze.

"There, there, Sango: it couldn't have been that bad!"

"Oh, it was bad. You should have seen Miroku flirt up a storm with the Phys Ed teacher. It just made me sick," Sango shook her head furiously as if she were trying to get rid of the memory that was planted deep within her brain.

"Sounds to me like someone is jealous," Kagome smiled smuggly, and with pride as she took in the sight of a flustered, and heavily mortified Sango. She could try to deny it, but Kagome knew the truth. Moreso than Sango herself it seemed.

"I'm not jealous! I'm not! It just makes me feel sorry for all those poor girls that are on the receiving end of his attentions."

"Really? Even the new Chemistry teacher?"

"Except for her! Seriously: doesn't anyone know that no one likes fake boobs on a woman?" Sango ranted, taking another sip of her water. "But then again, most of the male species are totally turned on by them."

"Really? You said the words 'turned on' and 'fake boobs' in the same sentence," Kagome snickered, again, causing Sango to be flustered at herself.

"Whatever. The point is, I can't stand how every girl likes to be in the presence of that womanizing jerk!" Sango pouted, crossing her arms. "And really - he even has to molest their butts! Doesn't anyone find that repulsive?"

"I find it very disrespectful," Kagome suggested her imput, but she knew that it didn't matter; when Sango was offended by something, she would usually go on a rampage of epic proportions and rant to herself. This time was not any different than the last.

"You should consider yourself lucky that you haven't found a man to fall in love with who is a complete womanizer," Sango ran a hand through her chocolate hair, a habit that she had done since she was a child.

"Lucky me," Kagome chuckled sheepishly before finishing off her Sprite. Talking about her current love with Sango wasn't exactly comfortable; mostly because she had no man to brag about, no man to praise relentlessly. She had never kissed a boy, much less do the nasty in a godforsaken place. If anyone had romantic experience, Sango had the most: she did have one boyfriend, but from what Kagome had heard, they broke up because of long distance.

Now if Kagome were to find love, she would most likely find it unexpectedly; she can't assume that she could find it on her own. She would come off as desperate, which was what she didn't want anyone to think. To be honest though, Kagome didn't seem like she would have time to find a man to swoon over; but if she had to choose, she would want someone kind, romantic and respectful toward her - a gentleman, in other words. She was kind of picky in terms of finding someone to date, but she was one of those girls who would expect something in the relationship. If that boy didn't like that, Kagome wouldn't have to change for anyone. Take it or leave it.

"Kagome? Are you okay?"

"Never better," Kagome covered up her daydream with a smile, reassuring Sango that she was indeed fine.

But Sango was never a person who would fall for Kagome's lies - no matter how much she tries to cover herself. Sango wished that she could open up to her; she could still tell that there was something bothering her. Kagome was a stubborn mule: she would never give into anything, never say anything that was on her mind, much less trouble others with her own problems. That was the way she was, and even in Sango's opinion, her very stubborn attitude at times can prove to be a good thing. Like convincing Sango that there was still hope between her and Miroku, no matter how many times Sango told her over and over that there was nothing going on between the two.

She figured that her current force of habit started around the time of her father's death; she would try to deny that everything had been fine, she was fine and would people just shut up about it already. Sango knew what it was like to lose a family member, but not in the literal sense of death. At least, that was what Sango hoped and told herself for so long.

"But are you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Kagome.. I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

"I would tell you Sango, but it's kind of hard to accept it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's complicated."

"It has to do with your dad, doesn't it?"

No answer. Sango sighed. "Kagome, my dad had trouble with the law; when Mother died, he would drink and smoke to his heart's content. Let's be honest, he never hurt us, but.. he practically neglected us. I've told you about Kohaku too."

"I'm sorry Sango."

"Trust goes both ways, Kagome. What is it that you're so afraid of that I can't know?"

_If you find out that Naraku's my... co-worker.. how could you not be ashamed of being my friend? How could you not take it that seriously?_ Kagome thought to herself. She was doing this to protect Sango from the truth; she really trusted Sango, but this was one thing that she could not have Sango to know. It was for her own personal safety.

**:3 :3 :3**

**You should hate me for doing this to you: giving you a cliffy last chapter, doing a time-skip in this one, and giving you filler instead of actual action. Well, guess what: next chapter is getting to be quite.. action-packed. That's all I'm saying. **

**And yes, InuYasha will be in the next one :)**


	8. Respect For All Creatures

**Trust me, by the time that you're done reading this chapter, you are going to go "yeesh, Naraku is very disturbing." And no, it's now what you think! Come on, did you honestly think that I would make Naraku a rapist? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**- ****Warm-Amber92**: I hate to disappoint you, but you won't ever be able to read his thoughts; I kind of had the narration restricted to one or two characters. I'm sorry! ^_^ And as for Sango's reaction, you'll have to wait a little while. (SPOILER ALERT!) Kagome doesn't actually tell her for a few more chapters yet...

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Of course InuYasha is being super mean - he doesn't trust Kagome yet; in time though he will (HINT HINT). And as for this chapter, you are going to wish you have never even heard Naraku's name (I'm exaggerating, I'm just waiting for your reaction LOL).

- **TheRealInuyasha**: Hmm. I never knew that before; but that's only the average abridge fan right? Can't wait to hear more cool facts :) And yes, talking backwards is getting a little tiresome, LOL!

- **SexyxAngelx09**: You are lovely for reviewing! ^_^

- **Randomabby**: You really think it's genuine? Aww, how sweet of you :) And yes, this story is gonna be mega-long so you have plenty to look forward to!

**Chapter 7**

Clearly, Kagome thought that she was wasting time; and by other means, she felt quite stupid just sitting on the floor, and not in a chair where she'd be most comfortable, and staring into the glass wall at the specimen who was just clearly giving her trouble. Trusted that they were still undergoing a staring contest, and that made Kagome feel embarrassed. After all, she was a seventeen year old trying to graduate high school with flying colours - yet the man, or the half-demon, with one blink of an eye made her feel quite.. underdeveloped in the brain. She felt like a little kid just gawking at him like that, but it wasn't like he wasn't doing the same thing - in Kagome's defense.

But Kagome's first instinctive choice was to study the half-demon, whom she had to learn the name of. Allegedly, Myouga or her father had no idea what his name was; and if Kagome wanted to, she would go straight back to Myouga and force him to tell her everything he knew. But that wouldn't even help in the slightest since she was the one who had to find new evidence.

At the same time though, writing some clear and obvious observations didn't really appeal to Kagome either; but what was she supposed to do? She had no lab equipment yet, so she was forced to lie on the floor, with her legs tucked under her butt. Kagome was not tolerable when it came to men looking up her skirt, and neither was Sango.

Which made Kagome think about their recent 'argument'. Though to be technical, there wasn't any fighting in tongues at all: just mere concern expressed through angry sentences coming from one direction. She knew that she was guilty about not telling Sango about her personal life - moreso the project that she had decided to take rein from Myouga, but Kagome didn't want anyone else knowing about it. Myouga had told her that this project was very, very important - otherwise, why would Naraku have shown up at her work station? Plus, she knew that there were people desperate enough to offer her any amount of money for something that they would abuse on a weekly basis. Kagome was not going to let that happen. But was it really worth it?

She narrowed her eyebrows, continuing to lock down gazes with the boy behind the glass wall; even after all this time, he still made no offer to talk. Kagome could tell that he did understand her. It was just a matter of pride and stubbornness.

She tried to be patient; she gave him enough time to let him make the first move, but this was getting to be irritating.

"Why don't you talk?" Kagome hissed out quietly, meaning only to be rhetorical.

To her expectations, there was no reply. Except for... Was that a smirk on his face? His handsome.. chiseled.. sun-kissed face?

Kagome blinked twice before shaking her head mentally of such thoughts. Yes, she thought he was very good-looking. But it did not compensate for the fact that he loved to get on her nerves. It was like she was his source of entertainment. But no. HE was supposed to be HER source of entertainment: HE was supposed to tell her what he knew. But it seemed pretty obvious to Kagome that he was very shy when it came to talking to the opposite sex. Then again, Kagome assumed that he had very little human contact over the years. Surely this could explain his quiet behavior.

Quiet behavior or not, Kagome wasn't going to allow that as an excuse. Surely Surei and Myouga could have taught this guy some manners right? Didn't Myouga say that he could talk? Kagome cursed, suddenly realizing that Myouga said nothing of the sort. That was another thing that Kagome had to write a mental note of - asking Myouga as to this guy's speech capabilities.

Of course this guy had to be raised by his family - who should have taught him aspects of the proper language and speech itself altogether. Otherwise, how could her father and Myouga got the research they had needed? Or did they gather it just by physical observation?

Was Kagome even up for this type of thing? Sure, it stressed her out the first week, but it's mainly because this guy is making life hell for her; seriously, can't anyone cut a teenaged girl a little slack? This was her first time performing such a duty - with no experience or knowledge before hand.

Then the location itself caused a rising out of Kagome; sure, this project had to be somewhere isolated and where no one could ever hope to look. But really: a downtown area where crime occurred more often than anywhere else in the city? That did explain why Kagome had to come with an escort every day, but sometimes, Kagome didn't want to impose on other people's help for too long.

When Kagome graduated from school, as well as college, she was definitely going to switch careers. Doing homework on the weekends, as well as right after she got home from school, before coming back here should not be worth it; Kagome hardly complained, but this was a circumstance that was far different from what she had expected. But her main motivation included doing right for her father's legacy; who knows, if she completed this project correctly (hopefully, if she were not to be jinxed), she would do her father proud. She knew that she was the only one to do this - after all, she was the only child. No one else in her family would have accepted; for some reason, her father was not very well liked on her mom's side of the family. And most of the relatives on her dad's side, were sick or dead - leaving no other option but her. Yet Myouga would have continued doing this right?

"You know, if you're not going to talk, I'm going to have to make you," Kagome smirked. "How? Those cute little puppy ears of yours are just telling me to tug them." And then, Kagome noticed the expression on his face.

Kagome giggled, seeing the embarrassed and mortifying blush rising in his cheeks, not to mention the way his eyes narrowed in annoyance and his lips pouting downward. At least she knew for sure that he understood her.

"Don't let those ears fool you."

Kagome couldn't help but jump in shock, hearing the familiar, slimy, creepy voice of Naraku. She turned around, seeing him smirking and leaning against the door. "He can be dangerous."

"H-him dangerous?" Kagome nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't think he is."

Naraku closed the door, strutting toward Kagome as though he were a predator and she was the prey...

"He isn't?" Naraku circled around Kagome, questioning her. Kagome was not comfortable.

"He didn't.. he didn't try to attack me," Kagome explained, praying with her life that Naraku would leave her alone.

"That doesn't mean that he won't try to; after all, you are the first woman he had seen in many years," Naraku stared into her eyes, closing in on her. Kagome felt a cold shiver run down her spine once more, feeling scared... scared mostly because this was most likely the man who had caused her father's death. But Kagome wanted to be strong, yet... her fear had stopped her from being more confident around him. It was like Kagome thought that Naraku was going to kill her too. And possibly get away with it. "And a young, beautiful woman like you better be careful."

"Thank you for the advice," Kagome smiled weakly.

"It's more than just advice, Ms. Higurashi." He whispered against her ear, blowing warm air into it. Kagome tried her hardest not to appear frightened, or even disgusted by this. "You never know when a monster will strike."

_I think I know who the monster is,_ Kagome thought bitterly, but didn't speak her true thoughts. Instead, she kept quiet - grudgingly letting Naraku circle around her like a vulture.

"He isn't a monster."

"What makes you so sure? Have you seen him kill? Have you ever heard screams of torture and agony? Of course you have not. But I have. This beast.. he is a killer," Naraku twirled a piece of Kagome's hair, touching it gently and stroking it. "If I were you, I would put him out of his misery."

"It isn't my choice to decide who lives and who dies," Kagome squeaked out.

"But he is dangerous, Ms. Higurashi. The world will be better off without these.. creatures."

"Is that what you think, Naraku? A cold, stoic voice cleared the room of any other conversations between Naraku and Kagome.

Naraku froze, recognizing the voice. He cursed to himself silently.

Kagome nearly fainted when she saw who had spoken; in her honest opinion, she thought that he was an angel.. his ivory hair swept past his shoulders and ended to his lower back but it was held in a ponytail. His eyes glowed crysal and held the strength and arrogance of a hawk. His skin was marble, and even his facial expression held a cold demeanor. She then noticed red stripes on his cheeks.. Was he a demon? He must be - since Kagome also noticed pointy elf-like ears.

"Sesshomaru, always pleasant to see you," Naraku spat out sarcastically before leaving the room.

Kagome wanted to thank this man, but he also left.

Kagome sighed; she hoped that encounters like these wouldn't happen to her again.

**:3 :3 :3**

After this encounter, Kagome thought about going home and calling it quits. She knew that she had enough excitement for the day, if that was what she could really call it. But Kagome reminded herself that she shouldn't let Naraku get to her like that.

Who was he to call the half-demon a monster? Kagome knew that she was not a person to judge anyone by their race. She only judged people based on their actions: and as far as she could tell, Naraku was wrong about him. He was not a monster. She never seen him commit anything; in fact, Kagome was sure that he was only misunderstood.

Kagome had found it her personal mission to not give up on him; even if he still didn't trust her yet. Wait. Could that be the reason? Did he think that Kagome would judge him as a heartless beast who enjoyed to kill? Was that the reason why he would not talk to her? Kagome knew that she wouldn't blame him; once she got him to talk, and gained his trust, then she would ask him.

But she would have to be patient in order for this to work. Kagome knew that she let this guy get on her nerves very easily, but she was willing to hold that grudge against him aside.

Yet what was she going to do about Naraku? Kagome could tell that he had some interest in her.. That creeped her out immensely. And she could tell that he wanted her.. that he was interested in her intimately. Kagome knew that she wouldn't be able to count on this Sesshomaru person to help her every time.

Which led her to her next train of thought: who was Sesshomaru? Why was he there? How did he become involved in the project? Kagome knew for certain that Myouga didn't tell her ANYTHING about any other people - much less Sesshomaru. But why would Myouga leave out that information?

Kagome snarled in frustration. That was just great - Kagome also had to find out what Sesshomaru had to do with this. Or.. she could call Myouga for answers.

Then Kagome's cell phone rang. Once. Twice.

Kagome rolled her eyes; as much as she wanted to do her homework, which she was behind on, she knew that she had to answer her phone. "Hello?"

"Kagome?" Sakura answered, filled with sorrow and shock.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

"It's your grandfather, Kagome. He's.. had a stroke."

**:3 :3 :3**

**Who else thinks that Naraku is a mega-creep? And what about Sesshomaru - why is he here? 0_0 **

**Keep on reading - you'll find out ;)**


	9. The Higurashi Curse

**I have to say thank you guys for reviewing - I got a tremendous amount of reviews :) It just made my day! ^_^**

**Thank you goes out to..**

**- ****SexyxAngelx09**: You sound disappointed ^_^ But don't worry - this update is especially for you :)

- **Warm-Amber92**: I told ya that Naraku was going to be insanely creepy.. 0_0 But he'll get what is coming to him. In time that is.

- **TheRealInuyasha**: You're darn right! But you know Naraku: he thinks he's stronger than anyone else. Talk about an arrogant idiot. LOL!

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Sesshomaru is more than just hot, girl. He's just GORGEOUSLY HANDSOME in every way :) And as for his role, well, you'll learn later on...

- **Randomabby**: Thank you for your kind review: and yes, I am trying to make Naraku an even bigger d*** than what he usually is!

- **darkcreeder**: I hate to give spoilers to anyone: if you really wish that he won't die, well, unfortunately there's a dire consequence for wishing something like that. o_0

- **Mika**: Trust me, honey - Naraku is in need of a good butt-kick. And as for finals, I have to write them next month, LOL!

**Chapter 8**

In Kagome's opinion, this was probably the second worst day she had to go through in her life; the first one being that her dad died, and now her grandfather was close to dying. He had a stroke, according to Sakura.

Kagome couldn't believe the news: she was shell-shocked when she learned about her grandpa's condition. It surprised her mostly because it was unbelievable that someone as healthy as Grandpa ended up having something that there was not even a chance that he'd go through. But now he had a stroke.

Kagome didn't even know what happened; her mother was upset herself that she never really explained much of anything to her only daughter. The doctors were also occupied running tests on him as Kagome lamented to herself.

It had been a half hour since Kagome rushed over to the hospital - praying that her grandpa would live. It was a little too much to ask for, seeing that he was in his eighties. Kagome couldn't help but think that he may die at any time, much to her family's dismay. She didn't want to jinx anything, but she just had a feeling that her life was about to turn upside down. Okay technically, her life had been turned upside down when she had been offered to complete the task that her father wanted to finish, but he couldn't. But this was something normal: this was something that everyone, or at least most people, had to deal with in their lives - the death of a loved one. It never got easy for anyone.

"What's happened?" Kagome finally got the nerve to ask her mother, sitting beside her - with tears running down her pale face.

"It will be some time before we find out," Sakura answered softly, ignoring her own misery represented by the tears wetting her cheeks.

"What are we going to do?" Kagome, regardless of what she had been told, had the urge to go see her grandpa - who probably wanted to see his family right?

"All we can do now is wait, Kagome."

Every time Kagome heard those words: she had to wait patiently.. she felt like she was going to snap. She wanted to see her grandpa, yet no one would let her. All the doctor said was to leave things to professionals. And that had been half an hour ago since Kagome arrived. Just what was going on?

Kagome couldn't bear to lose someone else that she loved. "We have to be strong now, Kagome," she felt a hand squeeze her own gently but firmly.

"Why?"

"Why what Kagome?"

"What if he's going to die? Why would we feel strong then?" Kagome bit her lip, every once in a while licking her dry lips in dissatisfaction as she stared at the tiled floor.

"Kagome, everything will be alright," Sakura tried to comfort her daughter, when she herself needed the comfort; but she was the one that held stubborn traits - Kagome was like her, in that way. In some ways, Sakura had seen her husband through Kagome, but sometimes she thought that Kagome was more like herself.

"I have a feeling it won't be." Maybe Kagome was feeling paranoid a lot lately, but she was willing to put the full blame on Naraku: he was a mega creep and he scared her to death, but at the same time it was like Kagome possessed an inner strength that wasn't let out until their second meeting: Kagome motivated herself to be stronger around him - she wasn't going to let him be satisfied with her reaction. If Kagome could, she would fight against him; but in a society where the rich and powerful blackmail the judical system, one can predict successfully how that would turn out in any situation. No matter how much he tried to frighten her with his flirtatious moves, Kagome found herself the will to remain strong: that was the best that she could do instead of fighting this battle out legally.

"No, no, Kagome don't say that."

"You're right; Grandpa might die. Everyone has to go sooner or later right?" Kagome smiled weakly for a maximum of ten seconds before she looked away from her mother, who had yet to give her actual words of comfort - words that would actually mean something on her part.

"Kagome..." Sakura knew that Kagome was still at odds with herself when it came to the deaths of loved ones; the first one that she had ever experienced was her father's. It upset her terribly, and had remained emotionally scarred for many years. Though it only had been seven years since Surei had passed, it was like a century in Sakura's eyes, but more so like eternity in Kagome's. Sakura had always noticed there was a special bond between her and Surei - they were very close, up to the point when she was ten years old, and when Surei had discovered something - something that would change life altogether.

"You must be the Higurashi family. I apologize for the long wait," A female's voice cleared any sort of awkward, angsty situation between Kagome and Sakura.

Kagome glanced up, tensing; in front of other people, Kagome didn't want to appear weak and hopeless. But when she was alone, she was free to cry and feel the pain that she pent up deep inside.

"Yes, I am Sakura and this is my daughter Kagome," Sakura introduced, sounding a little weak and solemn. Unlike Kagome, Sakura never let herself bottle up her emotions: as long as she had other people to depend on, then she would be okay - though Sakura found it troubling to rely on others to rid herself of problems that she felt like she could not handle on her own.

"I am Dr. Kanashimi **(1)**. I was not informed that the family would be waiting this long for results," The doctor said formally, shaking Sakura's hand. "No matter though. But I have come to deliver you... bad news."

Kagome swallowed, the bitter taste of potential vomit rising in her throat.

"I am very, genuinely sorry to say that your father had passed away. It indeed was a stroke."

After Kagome heard the words "passed away", she felt like she was going to lose it; she couldn't help but feel.. there was no way that she could describe what she was feeling right now. Kagome wanted to deny this had happened, but there was no escape from this cruel, troubling world.

Why? Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he be saved?

Tears of everlasting heartache and sadness rained heavily down her cheeks.. Kagome then started to sob quietly; her heart was breaking for the thousandth time... her chest ached, but not as sore as Kagome thought it would.. Her head screamed with terror...

Why didn't the doctors save him? Why couldn't they have tried?

Kagome loved her grandpa very much.. even if he had opinions that weren't necessarily wanted to be heard.. Especially hearing thoughts about her father, whom he did dislike ever since he had asked for his blessing to marry Sakura. Yet he had come to love his first grandchild, regardless of whom the father was.

Now another member of the Higurashi family died; yet Kagome had a feeling that there was something that she could have done to try to stop it.

**:3 :3 :3**

Sakura knew that her daughter was indeed strong; she had that unique trait - something that she could have inherited only from her father. Kagome did have sentimental emotions, but that was entirely normal. And there was the fact that some could overlook it, as well as Kagome's recent decision to go back to the project that Surei had left her to complete.

There were times though when Kagome had to be reminded of that power that she had.. Sakura knew that she was special when she was born: like most mothers would call their children when they were born **(2)**. Sakura just knew deep within her heart that she was meant for greater things; she didn't know how, but she knew that feeling was there.

Sakura was also stricken with grief, hearing that her dad had died; but it was to be expected. Sakura knew that he wouldn't live forever and there would be any time that he could die. She knew that he was a little disappointed at times when he only had one grandchild, but he was happy nonetheless that he had Kagome. When she was a kid, their relationship was just as close as Kagome and Surei's had been; difference was, Kagome couldn't handle the pressure that her grandfather was unwittingly throwing upon her, hoping that she would excel. Yet Sakura knew that he only wanted the best for her; Kagome knew that too.

Sakura also thought it was a little unfair for her father to die soon after his relationship with Kagome had been tied back up again, after that unexpected strain of the fact that Kagome wanted to do her own father proud. Sakura always known that her father and Surei were not the in-laws that anyone could have been mistaken as a friendly one. She knew that her own dad wanted the best for her too, and was always protective of Sakura. Though his opinion seemed to change once Kagome was born.

"Kagome," Sakura knocked on the wooden door belonging to her daughter. Sakura didn't expect an answer from her.

"Mama?" Kagome answered back, tears implanted in the brims of her eyelids.

"May I come in?"

"Yes."

Sakura carefully opened the door, as though she were expecting to see her only child doing something unimaginable. But she only saw Kagome lying down on her bed. Sakura bit her lip; seeing Kagome's unhealthy shade of grey cloaking her face immediately caused the mothering instincts within her to come out of the surface. But now was not the time for physical relief: it was time for the conversation that the both of them knew was coming.

Sakura sat at the foot of her daughter's bed, feeling the tense muscles in her backside washed away - sitting on the bubblegum pink comforter set that Kagome received from Sango as a birthday present a few years ago.

"I know that this is hard. For the both of us." Sakura herself didn't know how to start the conversation. "We will get through it Kagome. I promise."

"We won't!" Kagome screeched, her voice muffled by the pillow that she had stuffed her face into.

"We will. It won't seem like it now, but there is always hope. We can move on from this experience, Kagome."

"I've already been through with this once before, Mom! I can't do it!" Kagome whimpered.

"Kagome. You've reminded me that everyone goes through this experience: sooner or later, people do tend to act a certain way when someone they love dies."

"It's Naraku's fault; Dad died because of what he did," Kagome spat out viciously, as though she were wanting revenge.

"The world is filled with bad people, but there is more good people than bad. **(3)** Your father.. he was one of those men."

Kagome's temporary bitterness toward her dad's killer had vanished... "I just want him to come back, Mama."

"I do too, darling."

"It's just not home without him."

"I know. I know. Believe it or not, your grandfather missed him too."

"Why?"

"Well.. he.. wanted to see his family all joyful again; Surei had that charisma - he did charm most people off," Sakura explained.

"I had no idea."

"Your grandpa had his pride: he wasn't that sentimental."

"Except around you."

"And you."

Kagome stayed quiet.

"It has been quite some time when your father passed. But remember this; we have always loved you, even if his time with us had been cut short."

"But we have done nothing wrong to deserve that cruel treatment; we didn't do anything to make sure our family died."

"It seems like the world is sinister and cruel in that way, Kagome. But remember what I just told you."

"There's more good people in this world than there are evil..."

"I know I can trust you to make a good decision," Sakura kissed her daughter on the forehead, before leaving the room. Sakura knew what her daughter would choose: she had that stubborn and prideful streak in her. It ran in both sides of the family after all.

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) If anyone speaks, or knows how to read Japanese, then they would know that I've chosen this doctor to reflect the irony of sorrow.  
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**2) I can't assume that ALL mothers love their children; realistically speaking, there are people in the world that don't give a darn about their kids. Sad but true :(**

**3) I kind of copyrighted this quote from the movie Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: I think it was an awesome movie! (HELLO, JIM CARREY MADE ME LOL)**

**And I personally recommend listening to The Letter That Never Came by Thomas Newman: it set the emotional tone that I was trying to convey within this chapter. **

**So tell me, what did you think :)**


	10. The Boy Who Overcame Voice Issues

**I'm going to have to warn you now that there is some heavy creepiness from Naraku in this chapter. Seriously, it's like he's trying to abduct Kagome 0_0. But still, I find it amusing that you guys hate him with all your guts! Now on with the thank yous :)**

**- ****corincat331**: HELL YEAH there are a lot more interactions between InuYasha and Kagome: I'm trying to set the plot in motion, haha. :)

- **Warm-Amber92**: Yeah, that's true: neither of my grandpas died yet, so I'm still grateful for that! ^_^ And Naraku can pretty much be blamed for EVERYTHING, I agree with you.

- **darkcreeder:** Thank you for voicing out your opinion; yeah, there are a lot of bad guys out there in the world. Heard of Joseph Kony?...

- **TheRealInuyasha:** NO WAY! I love the movie too :D Don't you love Jim Carrey as the creepy Count Olaf? Haha! Anyways, if you want to change Surei's name to Amagi be my guest LOL!

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: I know it was super sad, but there are a lot of emotional traumas in this fiction. Of course there's a happy ending, but the road to it won't necessarily be pleasant. And as for InuYasha, you'll find out (HINT HINT) **;) **

**Chapter 9**

Crimson eyes followed the Higurashi family, reluctantly leaving the hospital in broken, shattered pieces. For one moment, the woman who had to deliver the heartbreaking news to them felt a small sliver of sympathy; after all, she was the one who unplugged the life support off of the old man. It was not one of her current jobs, but she had accepted the order nonetheless. And yes, impersonating a doctor and threatening her to quit wasn't exactly something that she planned to do, but her boss told her to do it otherwise.

She pursed her lips; all she wanted was a life of freedom, yet it was impossible to demand from the man that had taken her in. She used to be a drug addict, living on the streets: until he found her and declared that she owed him her life for saving her own, if it was possible. She didn't want to, but he forced her to submit into his demands: she didn't exactly have a choice, since she had heard of his reputation. Many things that she had done for him included: murder, grand theft auto, theft. Every time that she had done these things, she would ask when she would be allowed to leave. He did not give her a definitive answer every time, which infuriated the twenty-five year old woman.

Killing someone wasn't what the woman, Kagura, intended to do; but if she wanted her freedom, she would do anything to get it. Her life had taken a serious turn, but once she was out of Naraku's grasp.. she was free to start a new life. A life that Kagura wanted so desperately.

"Kagura, report," Naraku's voice startled her, causing her to jump up in surprise slightly. She could feel his slimey breath on her skin, and she was more than uncomfortable around him. She was more than aware that Naraku was a womanizer, and he intended to seduce her, but had never fulfilled on his inner desires. She shivered; Kagura should have let her hair down and not in a bun. She was not used to having her hair restrained in a mere ponytail and bobby pins.

"He's dead. They believed it," Kagura shrugged her shoulders.

"Excellent." The fact that Naraku had used the old man's stroke as a cover story for his actual death was the least bit cunning; but it managed to throw off any authorities off his tail once again. Even if they were to know that Naraku was ruthless and deceptive, they would not try to charge him for anything much less arresting him and sending him to prison. "We're one step closer, Kagura," He whispered, his breath warming the corners of her ears. He noticed the way that Kagura had tensed up in dicomfort; she was afraid of him. Naraku did not want anything less from her...

"One step closer?" Kagura repeated.

"One step closer for you to achieve your dream," Naraku smiled wickedly. "And one step for me to achieve mine."

Kagura couldn't help but shudder in obvious fear, hearing his last few words; Naraku was ruthless. There was nothing that anyone could do to stop him.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome felt like tearing every strand of her raven hair out; she wanted to completely lose it. Who wouldn't - after seeing the medical bills that the hospital had sent her family? It was bad enough that she had to lose her grandfather to a mere stroke, but after realizing that her family needed closure, a funeral was arranged - and so was the coffin that cost a ton of money. But now.. she felt like going to the hospital and giving anyone within a ten mile radius a piece of her mind; why should they pay the medical bills so soon? Her family did not have the money.

However, the only way to pay that - as well as the funeral home's inquiry bill - was to give away ALL her earnings that she had deservedly raked in within the week; but even then, that was not enough. Yet it was the only solution that was deemed acceptable, not to mention the only one that she could think of. There would be no way that Kagome could find herself for hire for another job. She would be dead out tired, may not earn as much money than she could have hoped. And the fact that she would have no time for homework.. Yes, Kagome had decided that she should just use her earnings to wash away the amount of debt that was cursed over her house. And when Kagome thought things couldn't possibly get worse... They just did; it was like karma was out to get her. Kagome herself didn't do anything wrong, which made it more questionable as to why all these bad things were happening to her. It was very frustrating, and there was nothing that she could do accept be logical about this.

She was seventeen years old, for crying out loud! She should be out having fun - meeting cute boys, maybe, hanging out with Sango! Yet Kagome had aged twenty years: she could not be worried about paying bills for some time. At least, until she entered college and to live independently. If she could afford that.

Her head was burning like a bonfire, causing Kagome to growl in mild frustration and anger as she rubbed her poor temples to find relief. Kagome hated having migraines: it was the one clear sign that said that she was stressed. She was pressured to the extreme everywhere she went; school, and even her work at the lab was always pushing her and testing her patience. School wasn't that bad, to be honest: it was just the matter of answering the teachers at school when you're called upon; the work itself was not that difficult. It was keeping up with it was the task.

So what if Kagome was using this as a resort: bringing her homework to the lab. It was not something that she ever planned to do - she always planned on keeping her home life private from the public; except for Sango, who she knew by heart. Since she couldn't concentrate on working, she had plenty of time to study the half-demon later on, she may as well treat her scientific block **(1) **by focusing on her schoolwork. Luckily she only had Calculus to do, considering that this was the only branch of mathetmatics that Kagome didn't hate.

But even doing a simple question was difficult to do; not because she didn't know what to do - Kagome knew what she was doing - but because she felt a pair of honey golden eyes staring at her for the past five minutes.

In any given situation, she could have screamed at him and called him a creeper, but Kagome told herself to keep calm: no matter if this guy was getting on her last nerves. If he was clearly insulting her, then that would be a different story. The point was, Kagome tried her hardest not to let him get to her.

Kagome sighed; there definitely wasn't any way for her to keep calm. She couldn't concentrate either. Which led Kagome to close her Calculus textbook and to avert her gaze unto the boy behind the glass wall.

Chocolate stared into honey lemon, and no other movements were made.

Kagome wondered why he found her so interesting. She averted her gaze to somewhere else; she was still upset about losing her Grandpa: someone who said that her father's legacy didn't even matter. The boy behind the glass didn't even matter.

Tears started to form in her eyes; that was one of their previous arguments - well, the last one they had before her grandpa had a stroke.

"You're not crying are you?... NO CRYING!" **(2)**

Kagome gasped, her tears stopping abruptly as she heard a very, very, loud voice bark at her from behind the glass wall. She turned her head toward him again, and she noticed how his cheeks turned red, simply from being stared at by the girl.

"Y-you can talk?" Kagome walked closer to the glass - the one thing that was seperating the two.

"Keh." Then the boy turned his back on her.

Which did not suit well for Kagome. She narrowed her eyebrows in anger; did this guy have any manners at all? Every time that he did something to make her angry, she always came to the conclusion that he didn't have any. Yet she had to repeat it to herself anyway.

"Hey! Didn't your mom tell you it was rude to ignore people?" Kagome noticed his ears twitch and lower, as well as his posture straight and stiff: as though she brought up a subject that he didn't want to talk about.

"Sorry," Kagome mumbled; she really was in no position to start antagonizing anyone - including this boy.

"Damn right you should be sorry."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome growled.

"Just forget it. I'm in no mood to talk to you," The boy retorted back, crossing his arms in defense.

Kagome blinked. "You mean.. that you -"

"I don't owe you anything, wench. Just shut up and let me-" Before the boy, as obnoxious and defensive as he was, noticed that the girl had started to cry again. "No, no, no. Don't cry!"

"I am not crying."

"You were so!"

Kagome sighed, submitting into the argument. She could have chosen to retort an insult, but a blast of pain invaded her head. Great. A migraine that she did not need.

"Now what's your problem?" He asked gruffly.

"The problem is that you are making my head hurt," Kagome replied, with just as much attitude as she could muster.

"Congratulations, Miss Kagome, you've succeeded in cracking him to talk," Naraku's voice filled the room; Kagome tensed up hearing the one man that she hoped that she wouldn't have to come across while the boy growled, also knowing who it was.

He entered the room, dressed in a tuxedo - as though he was headed to an important social event With his hair up in a ponytail and one of his hands in one pocket, Kagome thought he was one of those people who were arrogant in their appearance since there was a smirk on his face to match the expensive clothing.

"H-hello, Mr. Naraku," Kagome bowed formally, her hands clasped together as she stood still. Frozen still.

"Always a pleasure to see a beautiful woman like you," Naraku said, touching Kagome's cheek with his left hand, rubbing it softly. However, Kagome was secretly disgusted by this man's audacity. She felt like throwing up.

Then she heard a growl, as Naraku did too, as he stared into the eyes of the boy who was contained in the other side of the room.

"Always a pleasure to meet you too, InuYasha," Naraku sneered, watching the angered expression on the half-demon's face turn into complete rage.

Kagome blinked. _So his name is InuYasha?_ She tried rolling the name off the top of her head, and she could just tell that she liked that name.. She knew that it meant a female dog demon, which was ironic given the current circumstances. This 'InuYasha', as Naraku so introduced, was a dog demon: she kind of had a theory, based on the adorable ears that were on his head.

But what ticked her off was the fact that Naraku knew; he could have told her from the start of his name, but he left her hanging with no answers of any sort.

"You best be careful around him, Kagome. I cannot stand to have a beautiful flower shred to pieces," He whispered against her ear. Kagome shivered in response.

"As I've said before, he is not a monster," Kagome stated, trying to sound confident.

Naraku chuckled. "Just because you have not seen him kill, it does not mean that he is not a monster." And so he left.

Kagome turned to face InuYasha... "Thank you."

"I didn't save you! He was just getting on my nerves. The bastard," InuYasha murmured, but Kagome could still hear it.

"You know him?"

"Can't say that I do personally," InuYasha scoffed. "Here's a word of advice: stay the fuck away from him."

Kagome rolled her eyes; she had always tried to do this. Now that he was offering her that kind of advice.. it seemed to be a little useless now. After all, Kagome had a feeling that she would be seeing him again sometime soon.

**:3 :3 :3**

**INUYASHA! He can talk! :D And what a surprise: the two of them started fighting. Shocker. Anyways, didn't I warn you that Naraku is just plain.. creepy? 0_0 GO AWAY NARAKU! NOBODY LIKES YOU!**

**So please, do tell me what you think :)**


	11. Add The Persistant Suitor To The Mix

**Thank you goes out to...**

**- ****SexyxAngelx09**: Darn right he can't take a hint! He clearly is dense and stupid and doesn't know when to stop. Apparently Naraku likes being annoying, LOL!

- **darkcreeder**: Yes. Things will get interesting now that InuYasha is starting to open up :)

- **corincat331**: Okay, maybe my sources aren't reliable: but I've always, always heard it from other people that InuYasha means female dog demon. I don't know where you get your sources from... But thanks for your review

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Basically Naraku sent Kagura to impersonate a doctor and kill the grandpa: cruel, I know! And yes, I also want to strangle the ****! Kagome... well, she has mixed feelings all about InuYasha; just read on :)

- **Warm-Amber92:** Dark Shadow.. isn't Johnny Depp supposed to be in that movie? LOL. Thanks for your review :)

**- ****TheRealInuyasha**: Jim Carrey is one awesome actor! I have to say that I liked him the most in this movie :)

**Chapter 10**

The fact that Kagome spent twenty minutes, in her bedroom sitting by her desk with a can of Sprite, asking herself where she had gone with her social life didn't get her make a move on with her academic life; what was even more amazing was that she forgot the upcoming assignments, as well as exams. She didn't mind the Language Arts essay she had to complete, which was based on fairy tales of all things **(1)**, she didn't mind the Chemistry project - which would stress anyone out in her class, but not for Kagome, but the one thing that Kagome could not handle was the math class. Sure, Calculus wasn't as bad as Kagome thought it would be, but the upcoming exam - the final - was bad enough to make her think that she was screwed for life.

Of course she had been spending much of her time over at the research lab; and since all visits with 'InuYasha' - the obnoxious teenaged half-demon - ended in arguments, well, let's just say that she'd exchange her adrenaline rush for appropriate times to study. Kagome wished that she could cut her time at the lab in half, but since InuYasha started to talk to her. Scratch that. Starting to PISS HER OFF, Kagome thought that there was no better opportunity than this to further study him. Much to her annoyance.

But school was important too; without a doubt, Kagome couldn't help but think that it was more important. After all, after she graduated high school, she was to go to college. She was planning to become a nurse or at least an EMT. She wanted to save people's lives and make a difference.. Because she didn't want anyone else to feel what she had to feel: going through the loss of her grandpa and dad.

And how was she going to achieve this goal? This one career that she had in mind after her dad died? That is if she kept going to the lab right after school.

Kagome moaned, rolling her eyes and laid her head on her arms. It had been twenty minutes already and she was stressed. The only time she felt this upset was her father's death; not even when her grandpa passed from a stroke got so much of a reaction from her. Maybe it was because his death was to be expected. No one could live forever.

Which led to Kagome's theory; for the past three days, she had recalled that InuYasha appeared to be a year older than she was when really.. he was much older than she would have thought. Was it because of his demon heritage that he could have a large lifespan? Kagome didn't know much about demons - mostly because she thought that they did not exist, which explained her tendency to wonder.

_I have to admit, for a 150 year old guy.. he's pretty hot_, Kagome blushed intensely, knowing who she was thinking about. Yes, he was gorgeous, but that did not mean that she had a crush on him; his handsome looks did not compensate for his brash attitude toward her. She was not interested in dating; her family and her future career came first. Meaning that starting a family can wait until ten years.

But who would she want to start a family with? She wanted a guy who would treat her right; someone who could be romantic and sweet. InuYasha was the opposite; he was crude, harsh and defensive. The last person he wanted to see would be her, much less be interested in her romantically. But still - it wouldn't hurt to get a compliment from a guy every once in a while. Kagome didn't label herself ugly, but she didn't think that she was the prettiest girl in the world either. She wasn't that conceited, like some girls in her school.

In Kagome's opinion, dressing up like a cheap slut with model make-up are only going to attract men with perverted intentions; Kagome wanted a man who would treat her right, let her remind you. So she tended to stay away from revealing clothes and make-up that would clog her pores for several weeks. She thought that she was okay without make-up.

"Kagome!"

"Yeah?"

"You've got company!"

"Who is it? Is it Sango?"

"It's Koga!" **(2)**

Kagome's heart beat increased; did she hear right? Did her mother say.. her childhood friend was coming to visit? Kagome could not help but grin; she hadn't seen him in such a long time. Koga was a year older than her, and graduated last year - but he had moved to America to enhance his studies as well as.. the female species. Kagome rolled her eyes, thinking of her best friend. He was sweet, for someone who liked to flirt. He never tried anything on Kagome; they had a friendly vibe going on since grade ten, and Kagome made it pretty clear that she only thought the two of them as friends.

Though Kagome couldn't help but dread the day when he would find a pretty girl and get married; with his raven hair, his dashing sea blue eyes, and skin as smooth as caramel... who wouldn't be interested in dating him?

He had moved when Kagome was eleven; Kagome figured it was because he couldn't cope being the one having to comfort her anymore. But the real reason was that his family wanted to expand their business overseas and going to New York City was the perfect place to go. Let's just say it was a long goodbye for Koga and Kagome.

"Hey Kagome! You don't need to get ready for me; I like ya just the way you are," The familiar voice teased, obviously deeper since puberty, causing Kagome to blush in embarrassment.

Apparently, he still had a thing for her, but Kagome was just going to ignore it. Koga.. as much as she liked him, she didn't feel like he was her type. Too bad that he could not get the message from day one, since he was pig-headed. Yet Kagome adored him: he was her closest friend..

Taking another look at her homework, Kagome immediately decided that she couldn't concentrate even if she tried; her oldest friend was here anyways - he always came first in her book. Though she had to admit that she hadn't been thinking of what he was up to as of recent, but still: Kagome missed him whenever she had the time to think about it.

When Kagome walked down the stairs, she also had the urge to run down them excitedly: even though she knew that there was a possibility that she could break her neck. Which was something that she was planning not to do at any point in her life. Besides - she didn't want Koga to think that she was an overenthusiastic child. But judging from that earlier comment, probably not.

"Hey," Kagome smiled, seeing the one person that she never thought she would see at least until she graduated. Like Koga, she was also planning to travel to the States; but that wasn't until she finished college in Tokyo. And that could be when- eight years away? It sounded a bit right.

The said person stood up proudly, crossing his arms in a not so formal manner as well as a smirk written on his face; Kagome wasn't surprised though - he was arrogant in a lot of ways. But not arrogant enough to match the certain behavior or surpass a certain boy - who was the reason why she was stressed out in the first place.

"Kagome, it's been a long time," Koga greeted, reaching out for a hug.

Kagome returned it, but pulled away after a few moments; she didn't want to linger on intimate body contact after all. Or at least give Koga the wrong idea; because let's face it - Kagome gave people the wrong idea most of the time.

"I know. It's been like what - six years since you dumped me?" Kagome handed Koga a Sprite.

Koga chuckled. "I didn't dump you; I just wanted different things."

"Don't we all?"

After two minutes of non-stop giggles and laughter, Kagome couldn't help but feel a little lighter; maybe some company was what she truly needed. Maybe hanging out with someone who does not act like a complete jerk makes life a little easier to deal with. If only Koga would be willing to be her stress reliever... which she would not do in any case; Kagome wasn't the type of person to use someone. Using Koga as a crutch during a bad fight with her 'boyfriend' - if she so had one - would be a perfect example. She just thought it was wrong in general to use other guys to make themselves feel good without knowing that you're actually hurting your friend.

"Anyways, what brings you here?" Kagome asked.

"Can't I see how my girl is doing?" Koga raised his eyebrows suggestively. Kagome merely rolled her eyes and grinned sheepishly in response, taking a sip out of her soda.

"You're still on that, huh?"

"Let's just say me and my folks don't see eye to eye on things," Koga shrugged his shoulders. Which were clad in a black t-shirt.

"What about?"

"They don't approve of us together, you know? They don't exactly think that you're.. the girl I deserve."

"You know what? Let's not bother ourselves with that kind of talk. Now how's your job doing?" Kagome knew that Koga's parents were strict and even come close to being on the constipated side: it was mostly because it was the fact that they were from the wolf clan. Meaning that they had strong beliefs of their own, like arranged marriage from other tribes. For some reason, since hanging out with Koga at his place - and seeing disapproving glares from his mother no less - was a little awkward. But Kagome didn't even think less of it, since she was a kid and had no idea back then.

"Boring as always. At least, without any hot chicks to work with all day long."

"That's the reason you decided to work at your cousin's law firm?"

"Being a lawyer is very hard work."

"Don't you mean a slacking prosecuter?" Kagome raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"I switched careers," Koga shrugged.

"You have serious commitment issues."

It was true; in high school, Kagome remembered Koga signing up for multiple club activities. Let's just say that he never showed up to any one of them. Even sports, which was his main interest in school, didn't so much get him to commit to anything. Which made Kagome wonder if he would have such problems with girls. She hoped not.

"But how have you been Kagome? You've never called me, you never wrote on my Facebook wall, what's the deal?"

Of course Kagome didn't do those things because she had been super busy; for once, she wasn't going to use the excuse that her dad died - her grandpa too. She was going to tell him that she had been extremely busy with school, and unlike him, she took her education seriously. But Koga was just as smart as her - which he easily graduated school without even trying.

"School," Kagome said simply.

"So you didn't bother making time for good old Koga?"

Kagome giggled. "Well what about you? You could have called."

"It's called being busy."

"I rest my case."

"Anyways, I was wondering if you were up to doing something tomorrow."

_Knowing Koga, he probably just asked me out on a date. Bluntly. _Kagome thought to herself. "I would, except that I already have plans." And Kagome really didn't feel like explaining the whole InuYasha fiasco that was left for her to do from her dad. For one, she didn't think that Koga would take it well that she was planning to hang around another male. He was way overprotective, but Kagome appreciated that he was only looking out for her. Since she didn't have a fatherly figure to do that job.

But if Koga was to stay here in Japan permanently, and if they were going to be hanging out frequently - if she made the time that is - Kagome knew that she would have to tell him eventually. Just picturing bringing Koga to work and seeing InuYasha for the first time.. well, Kagome just had a feeling that things couldn't possibly work out. Those two would be fighting within seconds.

"How long are you staying here?" Kagome asked him, before she could let Koga get the chance to reply.

"It depends."

"Depends on what?"

"My folks want me to get settled down."

Kagome widened her eyes. "So that's why you're here?"

"Kagome, I only have one woman in mind to be my wife. I just have to wait a few years."

Kagome tried hard not to act rude or extremely annoyed; instead, she sighed. She was exhausted of Koga's stubborn attitude when it came to wanting Kagome as more than a friend. She got the hint plenty of times, but she was clearly not interested. Did he not get the message yet? Or was he just teasing her or trying to convince her that she 'wanted' him? It wasn't something that she would like to discuss anytime soon, but her patience was starting to wear thin on Koga.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Kagome, you look tired," Sango stated, walking beside her friend - whose skin tone was severely lacking in the healthy department.

"I tried to study last night, but apparently, I had some company," Kagome replied, trying not to sound annoyed.

"Who?"

"Koga."

Sango couldn't help but gape; even Sango knew of the situation between her and Koga. She was told by Kagome that Koga had the hots for her, but his feelings were not returned. Not to mention their childhood friendship that had to be cut short when he moved to the U.S.

"I know. I didn't know he was back until he showed up in my house."

"So he's your own personal stalker?" Sango smirked, enjoying her friend becoming easily embarrassed.

"We're just friends," Kagome groaned in frustration; Sango just loved tormenting her about her supposed 'feelings' for Koga. But it wasn't like their friendship was going to turn into something more.

"It seems like every guy you meet you don't want to date." Both girls knew that statement was true enough.

"Well, maybe every guy I meet isn't my type."

"Boy, you sure are picky."

"Maybe I just want to preserve my sanity."

"I didn't know you went psycho if one boy comes to talk to you."

"Ah, but my dear Sango, you'd go crazy for me any day." Sango and Kagome stopped in their tracks, gazing at the young teenaged boy smiling fliratiously toward the both of them. Kagome had to admit that he was handsome; he had dark chocolate brown hair, tied in a tiny ponytail, violet eyes that contain more than just a hidden agenda. Kagome smirked; no wonder Sango had a thing for him.

"In your dreams, pervert," Sango spat out - warning the boy from coming one step closer to her.

"But Sango, you misunderstand. It's my cursed right-"

"Yes, your hand is cursed for five hundred years, blah, blah, blah. Don't try anything on me."

The boy's gaze then shifted toward Kagome. "Will you, fair young woman, give birth to my children?"

Kagome was shell-shocked; she knew this guy was a pervert, but she didn't know that he was this.. bad in this case.

The next thing Kagome knew, was that she heard a slap. An extremely violent one at that; but not enough to kill the poor guy. "Sango, it was a mistake!" Miroku chuckled sheepishly, hoping to earn his potential girlfriend's forgiveness.

"How is groping me and asking Kagome - my pure friend here - to bear your children.. that is beyond me!"

Kagome sighed, and she couldn't help but giggle as the two continued to argue. Young love..

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) In case you didn't get this little irony, watch the second InuYasha movie. Trust me - you'll know what I'm talking about ;P**

**2) Yes, Koga's introduced (I originally had no intention of bringing him in NOW, but hey - my muse wanted to bring him in lolz); that is purposely what this chapter's about. Isn't filler the worst?**

**Regardless of this fact, what did you think about this chapter? :)**


	12. Saved By A Man Or A Woman?

**This chapter should make up for the filler one last time; Sesshomaru is a guest star ;)**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**- ****SexyxAngelx09**: Aren't Koga and InuYasha's smackdowns hilarious? I always laugh at their attempts to 'kill' each other. But I wonder what makes this first encounter between them (oops, spoiler alert) different...

- **ninjapuppies**: I know! Koga and InuYasha's fights are childish, but fricking hilarious :) Thanks for your review!

- **TheRealInuyasha**: Trust me - this chapter is NOT filler. Unless you think that action packed sequences are considered as such; but I highly doubt it. LOL. And how did you get the boxed set of InuYasha movies? LUCKY! :P

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Don't worry: I am definitely not planning on Koga winning Kagome's heart. There's another girl that has his eye on Koga (HINT HINT). But he does, in a way, help Kagome and InuYasha get closer.. (ANOTHER HINT HINT). If Miroku ever tried to hit on me, I swear I'd just spray him with pepper spray. LOL.

- **darkcreeder**: Don't you frown; InuYasha will appear again soon enough :)

**Chapter 11**

After a week of non-stop arguments with InuYasha, as well as homework that keeps on piling up higher and higher, Kagome thought that she may as well quit school; but that was just stress and frustration talking. She was pretty serious about her future choice of career, and she was determined to become a nurse. Giving up was never an option. She had three months left before she could graduate; Kagome used this as motivation. Until then though she had to put up with InuYasha's incesent yapping, Naraku (who had yet to come back), Sango's perverted boyfriend, and homework. To be honest, the last two weren't so bad: it was only the first two that would be a little difficult to put up with. Okay, even that was a total lie. She could put up with InuYasha's attitude - and she would rather hear him complaining every day than seeing the man who was possibly responsible for her father's death. And the man who was allegedly responsible for kidnapping Sango's brother.

Kagome couldn't stress it enough as to why she could not tell Sango about her.. secret life. But each day thinking about it made Kagome feel more guilty; as well as Koga being kept in the dark about this too. She could easily keep this from Koga, but not from Sango - who knew her better than Koga did now.

But Sango should have the right to know; which was why that this discussion was going to be very, very, difficult. Sango was a strong woman, just like Kagome, but this was a situation where it was like Kagome wouldn't know Sango at all. She knew that Sango would harp at her for keeping this secret for two weeks- which was how long Kagome had been part of her father's project. She had a small feeling that Sango wouldn't forgive her for keeping this from her; since Naraku was the one person she wanted to find for so long. And Kagome had a part of not telling her.

At this point in time, Kagome regretted phoning Sango an hour ago and telling her that she needed to talk to her about something. Of course she wished that Sango declined, but a single 'sure' caused butterflies to fly in her stomach. The two were planning to meet at Wacdonald's. In Kagome's opinion, talking to her best friend about the truth of what was really going on at a fast food restaurant wasn't really the best place. Kagome thought that talking to her at her house would have been appropriate. At least Sango would have thought that it was personal. Then she would have guessed that there was something going on. Now, Sango wouldn't even have the foggiest idea what Kagome wanted to discuss with her.

"Kagome?" Sango entered the establishment looking cheerful; her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, leaving her ears to stand out with small diamond earrings - which she had recently boughten. She wore a blank tank top embezzeled with heart in the shape of rhinestones. She also had on a pair of denim shorts that accentuated her curves and some flip flops - completing the entire look.

Compared to Sango, Kagome looked like she rolled out of bed. To be honest, she was extremely exhausted; and one could tell that by the dark circles under her eyes, her skin tone lacking colour and health, and her exterior posture. As well as her clothes: a pair of laceless shoes, fading sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt.

"Hey Sango," Kagome greeted in return but didn't sound as happy as her friend.

"You look tired," Sango took a seat across from Kagome.

"You seem happy," Kagome smiled weakly, before taking a sip of her latte. Sango rolled her eyes. Each time Sango tried to make a statement on Kagome's appearance, Kagome would find a way to change the subject. In other words, she was self-conscious about what other people thought of how she looked.

"Miroku didn't once try to put the moves on me today," Sango stated proudly.

"Not even on other girls?"

"Oh no. He wouldn't try and do something like that when I'm around." It seemed like Sango was the one person that Miroku feared the most, apart from having romantic feelings toward her. It wasn't surprising though - Sango was tough and can be brutal whenever she wanted to, and when certain circumstances called for it. This was probably the reason why not many boys called to ask Sango on a date. "But seriously, Kagome, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well-"

"Hey guys!" A cheerful, feminine voice interrupted Kagome from explaining what was going on in her life. Said happy girl was named Rin; she was a high school student in the same class as Sango and Kagome. She was a bit shy and quiet, but the three of them liked to hang out whenever possible. But it seemed like Rin was busy with homework like the rest of the class, and she took a small vacation to the Caribbean a few months ago, which made it harder for Rin to become closer to the group.

"Rin, hey!" Sango greeted as happy and joyous like Rin.

Rin stumbled into their booth with a smile on her face and several strands of hair escaping from her ponytail. Kagome also gave her a pleasant smile, but it faded within moments. Kagome was grateful that Rin had come along - it had been a long time since she had seen her, but she was also a little annoyed because she wanted to tell Sango her secret. No offense to Rin or anything, but that girl could not keep a secret. Not even if she tried. Because let's face it, Rin was born to spread around gossip - though she can be a little timid.

"How was your trip? Looks like you've got a bit of a tan," Kagome joked, taking another sip of her drink.

"It was great. I just wish that we didn't leave so soon," Rin gushed.

"See any cute guys?" Sango winked, laughing at Rin's embarrassed facial expression.

"N-no," Rin murmured, avoiding eye contact. "But anyways, what's new with you guys?"

"Sango's just been telling me that Miroku stopped grabbing her butt," Kagome snickered, noticing the surprised look on Sango's face before it turned to annoyance.

"Really?" Rin turned her head to look in Sango's eyes, her own hues filled with curiosity and amazement.

"It was just for that day. Doesn't really mean anything," Sango shrugged her shoulders.

"I think it means that Miroku has his eyes on you," Kagome chuckled. "And only you."

"He's just a womanizing pervert," Sango shook her head in denial, but Kagome could tell that her words affected her in more ways than one. Kagome knew Sango better than anyone else; she was in love with Miroku and she had it bad. Poor girl.

"I'm sure he's stopped trying to feel other girls up," Rin piped in, trying her best to comfort Sango. Sango smiled in reply, grateful that Rin was a nice person. In truth, Rin wasn't the type of person to continuously torment a person's love life. Even if she had no love life of her own. Which Kagome and Sango were planning to change.

Rin was always innocent, pure and happy: even though her home life wasn't exactly a fairy tale. She lived with foster parents, who weren't kind to Rin. They were verbally abusing Rin, but Rin never done anything to deserve such hatred from them. The only reason why they took her in was because she was a prodigy child - anyone who wanted a smart child like Rin, they would fight over her.

"As much as I want to continue this discussion, I've got to go," Sango checked her cell phone, which recently beeped - meaning that she had gotten a text message."I have an appointment."

Kagome knew clearly what that meant, but not Rin; mostly because Rin didn't know Sango as long as Kagome had. Sango had her psychiatric appointment; Sango probably didn't want to go, since she had always insisted that she was fine, but it was mandatory. After all, Sango had witnessed horrible things in her life and did not deserve to relive those memories again.

"See you later," Kagome nodded farewell, noting the hesitant and confused tone in Rin's voice as she called out goodbye too.

Once Sango left Wacdonald's, Kagome felt eyes stare at her intensely. "What?" Kagome asked, maybe a little too harshly.

"What's going on with you Kagome? You seem a little.. unusual," Rin said, ignoring the annoyed tone in her friend's voice.

"Just been going through a lot at home, and school." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't like Kagome could tell Rin the complete truth either.

"I heard about your grandpa. I'm really sorry," Rin apologized, her voice filled with sympathy.

Kagome shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

"I wish I was here for you Kagome. Look at me: I had to go on the cruise with Ura while you had to go through.. this." Rin had a tendency to constantly blame herself for other people's problems. Kagome didn't want that burden to fall upon Rin's shoulders; especially since nothing that had happened to Kagome was ever Rin's fault. Rin needed constant reassurance, which was considered ironic.

"But how have you been doing?"

"Let's grab a bite to eat and then we'll hit the road," Rin winked, all the while flashing a toothy grin.

**:3 :3 :3**

It turned out that Rin had won a free trip to the Caribbean and decided to take her friend Ura, and with much convincing to her foster parents, she was allowed to go. According to Rin, the trip was indeed worth it. She met a few new friends along the ship liner; as well as tanning the rich sunshine and swimming along the large pool upon the deck. Rin said she never felt more relaxed and happy in years; Kagome was happy that she had some time to herself. But there was one question that Kagome had to ask as the two girls were walking along main street.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Rin blushed immensely, trying to ignore the amused look her friend was giving her. "No."

"Well at least tell me if you're into someone," Kagome snickered; Rin's blush was growing a darker shade of red.

"I didn't meet anyone on the trip if that's what you're asking."

"Why didn't you?"

"Kagome, I never see you hitting on any eighteen year old guy in a five hundred mile radius. What makes you think that I can hit on one?"

"I have a genuine excuse. I am not interested in dating," Kagome shook her head in stubborn denial; at least it wasn't a lie that she was telling. But that didn't mean that she wanted to discuss her own love life. She only wanted to see Rin and Sango happy with their own.

"And you know that I can't speak to a boy."

"Will you stop that?"

"You know that I have next to no self-esteem when it comes to men."

"Seriously though; that can change." It was true. When Kagome first met Rin, she was so timid and shy that Kagome first thought that she was mute. That she was unable to speak. But give or take some time, Rin started to open up. Around a couple months, if you had the patience, she made new friends; it just took time for her to be used to new surroundings. It was like a new species being introduced to a new environment.

Rin rolled her eyes. "But what about you? You can't just stay single and without a man for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, but.. I'm not looking for a man right now." Why was it that no one wanted to listen to Kagome? When she said that she was okay without a boyfriend, her friends had to completely create a new context and suggest that she really needed a boyfriend to stay happy? All what Kagome needed really was her friends and family: boys can wait until after university.

"The point is, there wasn't any cute boys on the cruise."

"It's okay Rin. You will find someone someday."

"I hope so," Rin shrugged her shoulders. When it came to this certain subject, she would find herself depressed: meaning that Rin could not be so easily cheered up. The thing was though Kagome was on a standstill. Should she encourage her friend to never give up hope? Or should she try to cheer her up by saying that she didn't need a man to make her happy? It was one of those things that was very difficult to talk about.

"Then it's your lucky day ladies," an unfamiliar voice interrupted their conversation. Kagome and Rin gasp in shock as they carefully looked over the man who was currently blocking their path.

Kagome had to admit that he was very handsome; he had copper tone skin, raven hair tied into a braid, rare cobalt blue eyes and a smirk that made all his facial features look handsome. However, Kagome thought that there was something wrong about him. She wasn't going to trust a man - whose aura reflected mystery and possibly evil - she first met.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked confidently, but she wished that she could say the same about her friend - who was paling and basically shivering at the sight of this man. At least Rin knew that he couldn't be trusted either.

"The name's Bankotsu," He replied with an air of arrogance in his voice. Kagome then knew that she had met him before. But where? Who was this guy?

He then looked toward Rin and winked fliratiously. "And you ladies are.."

"Out of here," Kagome snapped defensively, grabbing Rin's hand as they tried to move past Bankotsu. But he was not going to allow that.

Rin shrieked, feeling a callused hand grab her other wrist as hard as he could - practically separating her from Kagome and throwing her violently unto the ground.

Kagome looked back abruptly, seeing her friend on the ground in pain. "Rin!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Bankotsu growled.

"Are you okay Rin?" Kagome knelt beside Rin, who was clutching her knee with a strained expression on her face.

"Yeah."

Kagome then turned around with an expression that could even surpass Bankotsu's. When someone dared to attack her friends, Kagome was always on the defensive - looking for a reason to protect her friends from danger. She knew that she couldn't let herself be frightened of this guy. Just who did he think he is? He tried to act tough and was filled with the average male ego of dominance, but he did not have any idea who he was dealing with. Kagome had to be strong - for the sake of Rin.

"What is your deal?" Kagome exclaimed angrilly.

Bankotsu merely grinned. "You are a tough one. No matter though; you'll be broken just like the others soon enough."

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows. _Broken? What did he mean by that? Surely he didn't mean.._ Kagome nearly paled physically at the thought of this guy in charge of prostitution and human trafficking. She thought that he would be interested in other crimes, but certainly not something like that. Now it taught Kagome to never judge a book by its cover reluctantly enough.

"Leave us alone."

"You should be flattered ladies. I only take the most beautiful."

"I said, leave us alone," Kagome spouted, raising her voice higher to meet his own.

Bankotsu raised an eyebrow. "My, my, you do have a temper." He then tried to grab Kagome, but someone had beat him to the ground in moments.

He saw a flash of silver and gold, and he knew then who exactly who it was. He growled. "Sesshomaru."

"This is proof enough that you will be arrested," Sesshomaru stated stoically.

"I don't think so," Bankotsu smirked, as though he knew something and Sesshomaru didn't.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I am under the protection of Naraku. You can't touch me."

Kagome gasped in astonishment; this man - who was about to kidnap her and Rin and force her to perform certain duties - worked for Naraku?

Bankotsu noticed Kagome's suddenly frightened appearance. "Yes, little lady, you should be scared. I will come back for you and your friend soon enough."

"Leave," Sesshomaru said calmly.

Bankotsu snorted, but he did what he was told.

Meanwhile, Rin couldn't help but be in awe of their savior; he had celestial silver hair that was tied up in a large ponytail, and she could tell that the length of it was much longer, he had skin as pale as snow and cheekbones chiselled perfectly. She couldn't help but notice the markings on his cheeks; she thought that those magenta stripes were beautiful.. His eyes were crysal and captivating. Who was this man - who appeared to be at least six feet tall?

Her heart beat quit after spending so much time, it seemed, just staring at him. Rin couldn't turn her eyes away from this man. She couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?" Granted that she didn't sound afraid or angry. Just calm and collected.

Sesshomaru's eyes flickered to the mortal woman behind him; her eyes were staring at his person and he couldn't say that he liked it. He did not find it enetertaining at all to have someone looking at him. But she was curious, as he could tell within her deep brown orbs. She wasn't harmed physically, and he did not know why he wanted to make sure of that.

"Mind your own business girl. My name is no consequence."

But Kagome knew who exactly this man was; she had seen him before - he had saved her from Naraku's clutches back in the lab. It would make sense that he knew this Bankotsu - since he was allegedly working for Naraku. But what Kagome really wanted to know was why he was in the lab too. But it's not like Kagome could ask this man something like that; she knew that he wasn't a nice person at all.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I hope that this chapter made up for the last one! Who doesn't like drama? :P**

**Please review? :)**


	13. The Common Enemy of Wolves Are Mutts

**I've received a little imput about Sesshomaru and Rin; and yes, they will be a couple in this story :)**

**Thank you goes out to..**

**- ****ninjapuppies**: You are awesome like always for reviewing :D

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: It's love at first sight for Rin! But it's going to take a bit of time for her and Sesshomaru to fall in love though. I've always liked Bankotsu and the voice actor for him (you mean the dubbed one right? lolz.) And yes, Kagome will tell Sango in two chapters :D

- **Warm-Amber92**: Yeah, I'm always like "YAY! Sesshomaru saved the day!" (NO RHYMING SCHEME INTENDED, hehe) And yes, he will have a little admirer around :D Good thing that you pointed out the fact that InuYasha's trapped while Sesshomaru and Naraku aren't. You'll find out later...

- **darkcreeder**: YES, THERE WILL BE SESSHOMARU AND Rin! :D

- **TheRealInuyasha**: Best Buy? Really? OMG. You must have been real lucky to pick them up :) Thanks for your review, ja? Ja.

- **Sammixoxo**: Hey, I haven't heard from you in a while! ^_^ And the drama is about to start. Well, with Koga and InuYasha that is. LOL. Thanks for reviewing, hon! :)

**Chapter 12**

The great thing about having friends is that they would always be there for you. Well, that would be the stereotypical notion of a friend; and what would a definition of a friend be? Someone to rely on, someone to hang out with, someone to joke around with, someone to cry to when life would get too hectic, and someone to give advice. At least, that was Kagome's definition of a best friend - a great friend.

In her life, she used to have great friends, but were they really so 'special'? When Kagome went through her depression, her old friends Ayumi, Yuka and Eri had abandoned her. They weren't there to comfort her; they basically left her alone to her own devices. They never spoke to her again. This meant that they weren't really fitting in the category of Kagome's idea of good friends.

Kagome wasn't a friendship preacher, or at least she hoped she wasn't, but she always thought that friends make you a better person. But it depended on several factors, such as whether if they were the type to influence you in some situations. Again, Kagome had to resort to the stereotype that friends were only shaping you to be a GOOD person and not anyone else. And the fact that they would never leave your life one day. Some friendships end, some friendships begin. That was what Kagome thought, after her and her old friends parted ways.

But at least she had Koga around now, and Sango was always reliable. When she found out that Koga was in her fricking house, she somewhat figured things were going to be awkward between them since they haven't spoken in a long time much less seen each other. Of course Koga wouldn't have a girlfriend and his continuous hints were starting to be annoying. But it wasn't like Kagome was going to harp at him: she was his friend. She could handle his secret flirtations.

Yet there was something bothering her; her mother had to tell Koga that Kagome was busy with a lab project. That did not involve school. And Koga was curious and he was wanting to see what Kagome was doing. But it wasn't like he was going to take it seriously; a couple of jokes about Kagome doing something other than schoolwork somewhat offended Kagome, but she laughed along. But she didn't blame Koga for saying stuff like this. He was never serious. Unless it came to winning Kagome's heart. Yet she didn't know if Koga had issues with her hanging out with other guys, and she was NOT going to test that little theory out. She didn't want to lead him on after all.

But showing Koga to InuYasha.. she had a feeling that it was not going to go well. Even though they didn't mean yet, it didn't mean that Kagome couldn't picture it. Koga was a wolf demon, and InuYasha was a dog demon. Which meant severe dominance issues. Dogs and wolves are related; Kagome figured the only difference was that dogs were domisticated while wolves were feral and wild.

That was what worried Kagome the most; she still didn't decide whether if she was going to take Koga with her. If she was going to, she realized that she would have to tell Sango too. And she would be a little upset as to why Koga got to know before she did - he wasn't even around for the past few years and Sango was the one who claimed the title of Kagome's Best Friend. Sango wasn't being jealous, if that was what you were thinking. She was being overly defensive of her friend. When Kagome told Sango that Koga was coming for a visit, Sango wasn't exactly someone who would approve. After all, she still didn't like the guy who practically left Kagome when she was depressed about her father's death. It was like Koga didn't care about Kagome's family issues - and coincidentally, he left for America. But Sango swore to Kagome that she would be polite and kind in front of the guy.

"Miss Higurashi," Ms. Umana - the English teacher - spoke out to the daydreaming girl, currently looking out the window. Ms. Umana was a kind teacher, but can be a little annoyed if no one was paying any attention to her classes.

"Yeah?" Kagome snapped her attention back to Ms. Umana who had her hands on her petite hips, trying to look the part of an authoritive figure.

"I do not take kindly for my students to daydream in my class." She was fairly strict about the school rules and such, but if the students were willing to follow those rules, there was no problem for Ms. Umana to act sweet and kind.

"Sorry," Kagome mumbled, feeling embarrassed in front of the other students. Even though they wouldn't pay attention to her, it didn't mean that she felt a little less mortified that she tried pulling off an 'I don't care about class, I'll just daydream' act. Not that she doesn't care about class.

"Class, your fairy-tale report is due this Friday. Please do not forget. I will not accept them in late."

Kagome widened her eyes in horror. Since when was her English report due on Friday? Of course she had to admit that she was out of it for some time, but she didn't think it was due on Friday. The worst part was that she hadn't even started writing it yet; merely because she couldn't think of a good topic. Writing a fairy tale story wasn't exactly something that Kagome wanted to do in life, but she wasn't going to risk getting an F on it. She needed all the good grades that she could get.

The bell rang for next class, and it took Kagome three minutes to move out the door like a snail.

**:3 :3 :3**

After the whole mortifying fiasco in English class, Kagome's day went from embarrassing to horrible. Not only was her English story due on that Friday, her Chemistry lab report was also due on that day as well. Kagome meant to start on it, but was interrupted by Sango in the library. Let's just say that Kagome got completely distracted from doing her homework, as her friend dragged her to Wacdonald's for a quick snack.

But two hours later, Kagome couldn't hope to eat anything for supper - leaving her completely exhausted and in a dire need of a bath.

After that bath, she realized that it was seven o'clock and she wouldn't have time to go to the lab. She was distracted for the entire day; not once thinking about InuYasha - who had yet to be nice to her for once -, Naraku and the tall, mysterious figure named Sesshomaru. Kagome knew that homework should always come before anything else but she could not help but picture Koga and InuYasha's meeting. If they ever do meet, which was a slim chance.

Kagome sighed. She wasn't going anywhere with school and it wasn't like she was excelling at the lab either; homework began to become her enemy, and InuYasha started to become a pain in her butt with his behavior toward her. Even if she tried to be nice to that jerk, he would never give her the respect that she thought that she would earn. Thus any chances of the two becoming friends were highly unlikely. Once Kagome was done with her research, she was free to never speak of this ever again. She would forget about InuYasha, Naraku and Sesshomaru and she would try to live a normal life with her friends and family.

"Kagome?" Sakura came into Kagome's room, noticing that her daughter was hunched over her desk trying to finish off her homework. She couldn't also help perceiving multiple yawns coming out of her every couple of seconds.

"Hey, Mom," Kagome greeted, before yawning once more - giving another signal that she was completely tired from this day's events.

"More homework?" Sakura asked, sitting on her daughter's bed.

"Yeah," Kagome replied simply.

"You should take a break, sweetheart. You're already so worn out," Sakura suggested, voicing out her concern for her only daughter.

"I have to finish it tonight, Mom. If I don't do it tonight, I'm going to have to stay after school tomorrow just to get it done."

Sakura blinked, taking in her daughter's explanation. Then she realized that there was something else bothering Kagome and she wouldn't be the type of person to worry about after school study sessions. "This has nothing to do with Koga, doesn't it?"

Kagome stopped her sudden movements. She turned around, seeing the sparkle in her mother's eyes. She knew what that meant. She felt a blush - as mortifying as it was - trying to appear, but Kagome shook her head , trying to clear it. "There's nothing going on between Koga and I!"

"That wasn't what I was planning to talk to you about." But to Sakura, it was a little amusing how Kagome would flush in embarrasment and try to defend herself from being accused of having feelings for her friend. Even Sakura knew that the two of them did not belong together. She just had a feeling that there was someone else meant for Kagome...

"Then what?"

"Why won't you show Koga where you work? It's the least you could do after not talking to him for so long."

Kagome knew it was pointless to start arguing with her mother; let's just say that Kagome knew where she got her stubborn streak from.

**:3 :3 :3**

"You know, you should come back to school Koga. All those girls still miss you, I bet," Kagome snickered, as she and her childhood friend were walking back from school. Kagome was surprised to say the least to see him waiting for her; she also noticed that there were some girls checking him out and he seemed to love the attention. Which made Kagome wonder why he moved to the States in the first place. If he wanted chicks, there were basically thousands of pretty girls here in Japan. Too bad they seemed like they weren't Koga's type.

Koga chuckled. "I don't think so. I'm only a one woman type of guy."

Kagome couldn't help but burst out giggling; when Koga said one thing to her, he usually meant the opposite. She had to pity the next girl who would even think about going out with Koga. He was a natural ladies' man - no question about it. There was also no question if he would be faithful to his future girlfriends. Well, if he found the right woman for him, then Kagome would think that he could.

"Anyways, finally up to showing me what you've been working on?"

"Will you be patient with me?" Kagome raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended by Koga's demanding tone.

"Wolf's honour," Koga winked, throwing in a smile for good measure.

"Since when were wolves honourable?" Kagome scoffed.

"Kagome, you don't mean that!" Koga also feigned being hurt by his friend's words. He even widened his eyes, and his jaws, in fake astonishment.

"Oh, but I do."

"But what have you been working on?"

Kagome groaned. As a result, Koga laughed at Kagome's expression - meaning that he meant to tease her and that he enjoyed to do so. Even if Kagome wouldn't speak to him for a good fifteen to twenty minutes or so, he always enjoyed seeing her reaction. Even when they were children. "Are you kidding me, Koga? Can't you wait five minutes please?"

Koga blinked. "Is it that secret?"

"It is. I'm not even allowed to tell anyone but my family." Technically though she could tell anyone that she deemed fit trustworthy. Once again, she didn't even think that telling Koga would be a good idea, but her mother pressed her to do so. In other words, she would have to let Sango in on the secret too; which would not go well. And Kagome thought it would be worse, since she continuously kept reminding herself.

"You obviously trust me well enough, Kago."

"And can you please stop calling me Kago?"

It was bad enough that he called her 'Kags' on a regular basis since he had come for a visit. But "Kago" was taking it too far. There was a joke between them years ago that Koga and Kagome's names are so similar if they switched their letters around. **(1) **If Kagome had switched the o and the a, she would be known as Kogame. Kagome was not amused. And she still wasn't.

"I'm surprised that you still remember," Koga smirked.

"Okay, we're here."

Koga looked around. "Kagome, I didn't know you were into the sketchy neighbourhood."

Kagome rolled her eyes.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome actually thought there would have been a problem, seeing that no one from the outside world was allowed to be inside the building. But there wasn't. Shet met with Myouga and he told her as long as he was kept quiet and did what he was told, there should be no problem with security. Kagome promised that Koga would behave, but she somewhat doubted this when she pictured him and InuYasha meeting for the first time.

Her heart was beating rapidly against her chest; Kagome would not be surprised if she was going to enter cardiac arrest. She couldn't help but feel anxious; how would the two react to each other. Koga could accept why Kagome was super busy in her life or he could possibly wonder why she was 'seeing another man' behind his back. But most importantly, how would he feel once he learned that InuYasha was a half-breed? That would make the meeting far worse than Kagome anticipated.

"Kagome?"

Kagome mentally prayed that this would turn out alright, as well as returning to the present. "Well, this is it." Kagome stopped at the same cold metal door she had entered many times before. Her heart increased its beat. She was definitely stressing herself out about this, but she couldn't help it; in all honesty, she would have rather brought Sango. Then again, that would have also been a bad idea. She didn't need to guess that Sango would fight with InuYasha - and she didn't want to picture that either.

She opened the door, leading the curious wolf demon inside the opaque, snow white room.

She stood in the centre of the room - looking into the glass wall. But all Hell broke loose.

"What the hell?" Koga growled, following Kagome's focus.

From the other side of the wall, InuYasha also snarled - not particularily pleased seeing a WOLF invading his personal space. He stood up, baring his teeth in defense.

Kagome sighed; she definitely thought that this was a horrible idea. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, in hopes to distract herself as she heard the two argue.

"He's a filthy mutt!" That was the first thing that Koga found what was wrong with him. He despised his appearance; his bleached white hair, his gold eyes, his ears. Not to mention that he smelt HORRIBLE! His senses were filled with no other stench other than that pup.

InuYasha was tempted to try to break the glass wall. "You're even more filthy, you puny wolf!"

"What did you say?" Koga raised his voice higher, his blood starting to boil.

"That's right! I said you're a wimpy wolf!"

Kagome gulped, as Koga marched straight to Kagome's side and pushed her gently. "Who are you calling wimpy?"

"Koga," Kagome started, trying to put an end to this argument.

However, Koga did not listen to her.

"I understand why you've been busy lately, Kagome. Taking care of this pathetic mutt-face must be hard work."

InuYasha, meanwhile, was seeing red. "Did you just call me a mutt?"

"No, you're right. That would be an insult to canines. YOU ARE MUCH WORSE!" Koga said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

Now InuYasha had every reason to attack him. He hated his stench, he hated his attitude and he just HATED him in general. He couldn't take it another minute!

But his monstrous anger turned into confusion - his eyes widened in shock and his jaws practically dropped to the floor noticing the wench going up to the wolf. What was she doing?

Kagome decided to put an end to it; it had been only a couple of minutes and already she had gotten a migraine. But the thing was, she didn't truly want to lead Koga on - but as long as the argument ended, she would be more than happy.

She kissed Koga on the cheek - unaware that InuYasha was staring at her with intensity and jealousy, not that he would admit that last one. "Can you please stop fighting with him? I was trying to start working on my research and I would really appreciate it if I would have some peace and quiet."

InuYasha narrowed his eyes, trying to prevent the demon that was trying to escape him. But he would remain uncaring. Why should he care that wench kissed that disgusting wolf? He shouldn't!

Koga was surprised that he had received a kiss from the woman that he had set his heart on. He smiled lopsidedly, pleased that he had finally gotten his kiss. "See you later, Kagome. And good luck." As a result, he also kissed her on the cheek.

Kagome waved, forcing a smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel that InuYasha was glaring at her with intense rage. Once Koga had agreed to her terms and left the room, she waited a minute before turning to meet his... furious gaze.

He sat down on the floor with his arms crossed and his eyesight focused on her. Kagome couldn't help but feel like he was... disappointed with her behavior? If that was true, then why would he?

"InuYasha," Kagome said. She felt as though she had the need to explain herself, but before she could, InuYasha turned his back on her. Kagome blinked. She had done nothing wrong, except stopping a fight. If she hadn't intervened, Koga would have crossed the line and started fighting with him. Of course.. that led Kagome to realize why she would be concerned about InuYasha's welfare.

Now what she was supposed to do?

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) I just realized that if I took the end of Kagome's name (which just leaves Kago), and switch o and a, her name would be Kogame. LOL! **

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry it took a little while to update, but I watched the Avengers the other day and I simply thought that it was the BEST MOVIE EVAH! :) **

**I promise I'll update soon if you guys review :) Fair trade-off don't you think?**


	14. Territorial Disputes Between Man And Dog

**About 70 chapters left before the story is done, LOL. But it's not over yet, ^_^ After all, Sesshomaru and Rin have yet to fall in love, Sango has to admit her love for Miroku, and Kagome and InuYasha MUST fall in love. I DEMAND IT! :)**

**Anyways, thank you goes out to...**

**- ****SexyxAngelx09**: NICE! XD

- **Warm-Amber92**: Will there be future conflicts with Koga and InuYasha?... YES! Yes there will! ^_^ Sango will be heavilly annoyed and bothered as to why Kagome told Koga rather than Sango, who had known her longer than Koga had. But in the end, she'll forgive her, he he. :P Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

- **Sammixoxo**: Of COURSE InuYasha did not like it when Kagome kissed Koga. Someone is feeling the case of jealousy! Looks like he needs to see Dr. Kagome :D

- **darkcreeder**: InuYasha probably will remain mad at her, but I don't know if he's gonna ignore her though.. I can see a long list of insults he would say to her, LOL. Thanks for the review! ^_^

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Basically any insult coming from Koga directing toward InuYasha (and vice versa :P) makes me laugh out loud hard all the time. I LOVE the English Dubbed actors :3 And in the Avengers, I was close to tears when Agent Coulson got.. you know :P LOKI I HATE YOU! XP Thanks for reviewing!

- **TheRealInuyasha**: Thank you so much for your review! Loki gets pawned three thousand times in the movie, he he; take that, Thor's adopted brother! XD

- **bumblezee**: I used to be one of those authors who did not leave a review; I was also kind of picky when to review and such - like it depends on what kind of story they right and if I really love it. Then I would review. I gotta agree with you about cliche writing; I get sick and tired reading stuff like that, so normally I would leave the story! It annoys me that some people can really not make any of their stories original. So thanks for that little comment. As for your little grammar speech, thanks for pointing out my mistakes: my English teacher still gives me that tiny lecture every once in a while, LOL! BUT thank you so much for your review: I REALLY appreciate it :) Besides - I've heard worse (like WAY worse) reviews from other people. 

**Chapter 13**

_**April 15th**_

_**Dear Diary...**_

_Out of all the things to be concerned about, as of recently, I still can't believe that none of my fears have to do with school. Or with Sango finding out my secret. Not even Koga's my concern, which somewhat does relate to InuYasha - of all people. _

_Yes, InuYasha is what concerns me for some reason. Why should I care about his opinion of me? Why would he care that I kissed Koga on the cheek? It's not like there are any feelings between him and myself. It's not like InuYasha and I are best buddies, which is an understatement, and it's certainly not like he's acting perfectly fine with the whole situation. _

_Ever since I kissed Koga on the cheek, InuYasha just.. flat out refused to acknowledge me. I know I'm still upset about it, which is an understatement. It has been like what? Two days? And already he feels like I'm not even worthy enough to talk about him. To be honest, I think he's just acting like a petulant child. Either that, or he's not used to seeing any affection being shown - especially if I'm the one to instigate such things. _

_So really, I don't think InuYasha's really jealous. But why does it feel like there's something more to this? Now that he's not talking to me, it will make things much harder for me to find out more about him. Trust me, if they would pay me for quitting, I would do it; but my self-fulfilling promise I made to myself always prevents me from thinking of quitting. _

_It is not easy trying to learn more about InuYasha. Trust me - I'm not a scientist. I don't perform experiments on animals, and I wouldn't risk my life to stay in a hot and sweaty room with nothing but equipment. I don't care if they get paid alot; to me, I don't think it's worth it. _

_Once again, I'm thinking negatively about the situation. So what is there for me to do? Just deal with InuYasha? Even though he tests my patience quite frequently? Besides, it's not like I have a choice in the matter. _

After writing, for who knew how long, Kagome felt much better; maybe her mother was right. Maybe writing for countless minutes helped take the edge off. After all, she felt slightly less angry and frustrated than before. But could anyone really blame her?

Okay, kissing Koga wasn't the smartest or brightest idea that she had; but at least she had stopped the fighting right? But then again, doing that made things perfectly clear to Kagome that there were consequences for trying to stop one thing. To be honest, she did regret kissing Koga. Then InuYasha wouldn't be mad at her. But once again, Kagome found herself torn between two theories. One, Koga wouldn't have been prevented to break the wall and start fighting with InuYasha. The other theory revolved around InuYasha's safety.

Kagome growled. She was truly bothered by the fact that she was concerned for InuYasha. Even though she had sympathized with him for a little bit, it did not mean that she tolerated him to the point that she would call him her best friend and not an enemy. But InuYasha wasn't her enemy. He didn't try to kill her; but if she released him, would he try to do so? Which was probably the only reason she had not released him. She was seventeen and she had a long life ahead of her - she wasn't going to let some jackass take it away!

Pleased that she had increased her self-confidence, Kagome decided she didn't need to think about InuYasha anymore.

It's the situation with Koga that she had to worry about now. She wondered if he thought that the two of them would be dating after she kissed him on the cheek; Kagome shook her head. She wouldn't be surprised if he did. Koga was unintelligent when it came to being told numerous times that Kagome only saw them as friends. Koga was also quite stubborn and headstrong. He would never give up on winning her heart, much to her dismay.

Kagome never told her mother about the latest turn of events much to her own surprise. She used to confide in her until the point when her dad died; and later on it was nothing but privacy and painful silence. Of course now Kagome wouldn't know what her mom thought; would she congratulate her in approval that she stopped physical violence from occurring? Or would she shake her head in disapproval and scold her for her actions? She knew the first suggestion probably wouldn't be a possibility; when it came to situations like these that resorted to physical contact, Kagome's mother would certainly not applaud Kagome for what she had done. She would be overly concerned about her welfare - was she hurt? Was she alright?

A sharp prickle of pain entered Kagome's head - preventing her from physically thinking any more thoughts that dealt with her current situation. But Kagome ignored it and continued writing.

_So what am I going to do about Koga? If I just flat out tell him the truth, it would only make him more confident that he would win me over. If I lie to him, he'd still pursue me. What am I going to do? Not that I'm extremely worried, but having a plan would certainly help. Unfortunately though, I can't think of any possible way to stop Koga from flirting with me. Don't get me wrong - I still want to be friends with him; but if I do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing, would our friendship be intact? _

Of course it would be a big deal if Kagome lost her childhood friend because of this; not only would it mean that she would lose years of wonderful experiences with him, it would also mean that she would grow closer to being alone. Sango would be her only friend but Kagome had no definite worries of Sango's loyalty. Sango would never stop being her friend.

And speaking of.. Kagome just knew that she had to tell her her secret. She knew that she couldn't keep this hidden from her anymore; after weeks of experimenting with InuYasha (which was unsurprisingly still unsuccessful), Kagome's stress levels increased. That even included not telling Sango...

"Kagome!" Sakura called out. "Sango's on the phone!"

"Thanks Mom!" Kagome answered back, putting the cap back on her pen. She was done writing for now, and she was just urging to talk to someone right now. It seemed like now was the perfect time for Kagome to reveal her secret.

**:3 :3 :3**

There was no moon out that night; the midnight blue sky was covered entirely by dark clouds that were threatening to rain.. Thunder roared boisterously and lightning coruscated against the clouds for a mere moment before disappearing temporarily. The process would continue once rain cascaded down from the clouds.

There were many parts of Tokyo that were considered dangerous, yet there was one man that was deemed too arrogant in his physical abilities to defend himself to even care.

His scorching blue eyes glowed in the dark, like a predator, and they flickered from left to right - taking in the surroundings. The rain began to increase its pace, but it didn't seem like an inconvenience to the man.

His raven hair was tied up in a braid, which flowed down his back; it was his usual style and no one in the mafia seemed to even make fun of his preferences. He wore onyx leather pants, which were clinging to his skin as they were soaked, that went up to his ankles which were covered with cimmerian boots. Basically, his whole wardrobe was atramentous, but he thought that he looked extremely handsome.

Of course he was; after all, he was the leader of his own gang - the Band of Seven. There were seven other criminals that were part of it - and they all loved to break the law. There was something about defying it that made it pleasurable. They all loved to kill. They all loved to spill blood and see it rush out of the body of their recent victim. Taking someone's life was part of their thrill, as well as other crimes.

Bankotsu made no exception to the rules. Name any crime and the Band could do it in an hour. The best part of the job was that they would never get caught; Bankotsu and his gang were allianced with someone that did not think twice about protecting them. He was the one that gave them money to splurge on alcohol and women. He was the one that covered their tracks (to the group's amazement), and no one would know that the Band of Seven did anything.

The catch was that Bankotsu was to personally report himself and his group's results of their mission to him. Bankotsu did not like taking orders from anyone, but if his brothers were to stay safe, the only possible way (for now, at least) was to stay under his command.

Bankotsu stopped his movements - detecting someone approaching him from the other side of the block. He narrowed his eyes. Yet he smiled pleasantly, as though he were actually happy to see that one man. And he was.

"Who would have thought that the mighty Sesshomaru had business down here?" Bankotsu proclaimed, though sarcasm could be easy to detect.

Sesshomaru's face remained icy and emotionless; his eyes also did not contain any anger or any emotion that would be the result from Bankotsu's relentless teasing. Yet his own patience was about to snap... Sesshomaru was normally a calm, calculating demon but there were times when even he had to be annoyed by something. Or rather in this case, humans. He did not want anything to do with the species in question; he practically ignored their existence - since he lived in the forest, away from human contact.

"Now you saved me the trouble of hunting you down," Bankotsu smirked, and another flash of lightning appeared and his tanned features could be easily seen within moments. He crossed his arms and waited for what Sesshomaru would say to him; and Bankotsu wouldn't even be surprised if he stayed silent. Even he knew that he wasn't the social type, after all.

"What business do you have with this Sesshomaru?" The dog demon with the luscious, ivory hair asked; his tone remained stoic and dull, and it seemed to Bankotsu that he was bored with him.

"You interfered with my fun earlier, Sesshomaru. I didn't like that."

"Attacking defenseless human women was your idea of fun?" Sesshomaru raised his eyes in skepticsim, but his voice STILL seemed to be careless and dispassionate.

"Now that touches my heart. The powerful Sesshomaru has grown fond of humans," Bankotsu teased.

Sesshomaru did not reply; at this point, he did not think that this pathetic mortal - who wreaked of blood, but not his own - was worth responding too at all. To Sesshomaru, Bankotsu was an insect that wanted his own death granted to him. Hell, he was probably not worth anymore than the dirt that was beneath his own shoe.

"This Sesshomaru has grown tired of your attempts to insult me."

"All I need to tell you is that if you mess with me again... **He** will not be happy about your recent escapades."

"What this Sesshomaru does is none of your concern."

Bankotsu raised an eyebrow in disbelief as his lips straightened into a thin line. "Oh? It isn't? Well, we'll have to see about that soon enough."

**:3 :3 :3**

Considering the fact that Rin didn't take into account that she didn't know her way around Tokyo as much as she used to, she didn't think in retrospect that where she would be headed wasn't a place for her to be.

Of course, she never thought straight in her life: usually, she would be diving into action and never using her brain before hand. It wasn't only until now that Rin regretted taking a walk at night; what could possibly be bad about this night was that there was a thunderstorm. The rain was pelting down harder and it was making it more difficult for her to see.

Rin sighed; her eyesight was pitiful. Her chocolate brown eyes could not scout out the area if there was any danger. Her ears certainly couldn't detect anyone coming - since they were focused on the rain. She wasn't too concerned about her hair - since it was plastered to her skull. But she noticed that her body temperature was decreasing: she was getting colder. She shivered, cursing herself for not wearing proper apparal. But could she really have guessed that there would be a storm that night? And she didn't really count the fact that she was hoping to hang out with Sango, but that clearly didn't happen. And as a result, she got herself lost.

Before Rin knew it, since she wasn't looking in front of her, she collided with a mysterious stranger -and she found herself tumbling to the ground.

"My, my, hello again, beautiful."

Rin froze. Her eyes widened in fear as she recognized that voice; it couldn't be.. it couldn't be the same man that tried to kill her and Kagome.. unfortunately though, her hopes were crushed as she glanced upward - and judging from the familiar cobalt eyes... it was him.

"What's the matter? I thought that you'd be perfectly happy to see me. Just in time too," Bankotsu pointed toward the dog demon across from him. Extremely injured. "I should put this puppy to sleep."

Rin was always one to jump into action - regardless of the consequences that soon followed. She was brave and headstrong, but not exactly intelligent enough to draw up a plan before she recklessly went out into battle. She guessed that her courage made that up though.

For some reason, she wasn't afraid of him.. the man that she had constantly thought about.. his eyes were captivating and a beautiful shade of gold.. His hair was so celestial and looked soft to touch; even his magenta markings on his cheeks were attractive, much to Rin's surprise. She knew that he wasn't human: but it didn't frighten her one bit if that theory was true. Rin figured that he was either someone that mastered cosmetics and tested them out on himself or that he could be something that Rin thought that was non-existent.

Rin was taught to never judge a book by its cover and she completely took that into context. She wasn't about to judge anyone else - based entirely on their looks. Unless, if she had a feeling that man was creepy to the max.

"Leave him alone!" Rin put her hands on her hips; she was determined to save his life - he saved her own, after all.

"You have some guts, girl. Go home: little girls like you shouldn't be around these parts."

But Rin was too stubborn to listen to anyone right now. "Why would you kill him? He's completely defenseless!"

Bankotsu laughed at this girl's ignorance. "You are sure stupid for someone who lives in a city practically filled with them. Now get out of the way."

Yet once again, he was a little surprised by this young woman - who was challenging him. "Make me."

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru could not help but watch this exhange of words; he would not admit that he was impressed with the woman's tenacity to stand up to the leader of the infamous mafia gang the Band of Seven. Instead, he thought that she was incredibly stupid to not take his advice to leave. He knew that she was going to get herself into a situation where she would regret trying to save his life.

Sesshomaru scoffed; what would an incompetent girl like her be doing around this part of the city? She most likely got herself lost - judging by her frantic attitude and her wet clothing. Once again, this proved his conjectures that humans were inferior to demons. How humans have survived this long on Earth instead of going extinct was beyong his understanding.

"You are going to regret those words."

And so, Rin couldn't help but feel frightened; this man could actually hurt her. She tried not to show her fear, but unfortunately, even he could see her tremble slightly in fear...

"You have no honour! I don't care if you hurt me, but let him go," Rin said firmly.

Before Rin knew what was happening, she found herself on the ground - grunting in pain.. she felt her shoulder throbbing in agony and so she couldn't help but squeal as tears were running down her cheeks.

"Consider yourself lucky, wench." That was all he said before he left; leaving Rin alone with her savior.

She turned around, noticing the man - that she had every intention to save - stare at her in such a cruel way.. Rin was not frightened; she did not know why.. As he growled in her direction, Rin just felt the urge to move closer to him. No matter how hard he tried to scare her, Rin only felt drawn into him; she could not help but notice that she was tongue-tied - staring at him in captivation. Rin could not help but think that he looked handsome, even though he was bleeding.

"Mind your own business, girl."

Rin wanted to say something in return, but no words came out of her mouth. She was speechless. How could she give into her inner temptation of just gazing at him? "Y..you're hurt," Rin managed to say, but in her honest opinion she thought that she sounded like a hawk. Not a good comparison.

However, Rin felt her shoulder ache in pain, causing her to wince and moan. This did not go unnoticed by Sesshomaru - who continued to glance toward her wth hatred hidden in his eyes.

"Leave. This Sesshomaru does not wish to see more blood."

For some reason, Rin wanted to please him; for some reason, she felt as though that she owed him her life.. Would it make him happy that she should tend to her own injuries? But.. she couldn't leave him.

Then he said his name was Sesshomaru.. Rin wanted to test it out on her lips, but she decided against it. She had to admit though that it was a beautiful name, and so that name remained in her brain - not intending to go away any time soon. Just like the image of his appearance.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I am so very sorry for the lack of update! ^_^ **

**I just went on a camping trip and it was so fun.. I really didn't feel like leaving; it's like if you want to wind down and relax, and that's when you feel that you're most comfortable. That's exactly how I felt. **

**Anyways, please, do review :3 I look forward to hearing from you! :)**


	15. Two Can Keep A Secret

**Apparently, Fan Fiction is taking down all 'mature, intimate content' that fits into the MA rating. In other words, MA is not allowed on this site. Unfortunately, this means that any intimacy that I have planned in this story must be edited. Gosh darn it! **

**With frustrations aside, thank you goes out to..**

**- ****Sunrise Phoenix**: Don't you worry about Kagome - she'll be just fine. Spending some much needed quality time with InuYasha will help her sort things out :) (BOW CHICKA BOW WOW, he he). And yes, Rin is such a strong girl! I'm always cheering her on when it comes to standing up for herself and putting the male species in their place. Ha! Thanks for reviewing :)

- **Warm-Amber92**: Thank you! Besides InuYasha and Kagome, my second favourite pairing (which is awfully close to be tying for first place) is Sesshy and Rin :) And thank you for your good wishes! I had TONS AND TONS of fun on the trip :) Keep on reading and reviewing! ^_^

- **anon** Thank you for warning me but I already saw their update back on the home site. That is the worst! :P

**Chapter 14**

When Bankotsu had left, he had assumed that the woman had signed her own death wish. No one, who annoyed Sesshomaru, lived long enough to see what could have happened in the presence of a demon (who hid their identies from the outside world out of mere cowering for their own protection). From what Bankotsu had been told, Sesshomaru was a beast. He was ferocious if anyone pissed him off that far; he wouldn't hesitate to kill. Thus the human girl probably died, not expecting the reward she had received.

Bankotsu always thought that humans were too naive to trust strangers - even if they turned out to be not of their own race. That was one reason why humans were so weak. Not only were they physically worn out (as in, not trained to be immediately active), but they had 'sentimental values' they held close to their hearts. Bankotsu scoffed. One did not need any emotions such as 'love' and 'happiness' to grow up. Just the basic needs and tough mentality would be fine. It worked out for Bankotsu in his life, therefore...he had his training and his brothers. Or at least.. who was left.

Bankotsu's 'brothers' were Jakotsu, Suikotsu, Renkotsu and Genkotsu. The other two had died - simply because they disobeyed Naraku.

Bankotsu couldn't help but narrow his eyes, thinking of the wretched demon that binded his own life, as well as his brothers, to him. He was the last demon on this Earth that Bankotsu wanted to protect him and his 'family', but there were no other options.

Naraku was vain, heartless and cunning. The first two descriptions were qualities that Bankotsu had and didn't care much of when he met Naraku, knowing that he also possessed those traits. But Bankotsu was smart: Naraku was never what he seemed to be. Even if he protected them, Bankotsu knew it was for a specific purpose. Yet, he would never confront Naraku about it. Once Bankotsu knew the real deal about Naraku, whom he still did not know on a personal level apart from being his 'boss', then he would have every reason to back out of Naraku's 'band'.

He was already aware that Naraku was practically the biggest crime lord in the city, as well as Japan itself. He knew that Naraku was a coward too - seeing that he had other cronies to back him up and protect him from the law. Not even the cops could touch him, as well as the judical system in place. Naraku had taken the law for granted and he pretty much smug that he could get away with anything that he had done. Considering that Naraku had not told Bankotsu anything about himself, it was all the more reason to become suspicious of him. Bankotsu would always be on his guard; he couldn't afford to be taken down when he was less prepared.

Bankotsu was pretty sure that Naraku was using him and his gang and once again the reason why was out of his reach. It always infuriated Bankotsu that when each year passed, the answer would not get into his own hands. Bankotsu had been working for him for five years now. He had only been seventeen then -he needed money, alcohol and food. Not to mention shelter. Naraku offered him all of this if he was up to earning it. Coming from a naive boy, he took the job.

Bankotsu never lived on anyone's pity. Nor was he ever a charity case. He refused to take hand outs from people from runaway shelters; Bankotsu's family never wanted him. Long story short, he ended up at a foster care where many of the 'children' were juvenile dilenquents. That was where he met all of his brothers. Each child had their own dysfunctional problem; Bankotsu's father was a drinker and a gambler, Jakotsu had skeletons in the closet (metaphorically speaking if you caught Bankotsu's drift), Suikotsu had multiple personalities, Renkotsu kept to himself and was often assumed socially awkward and Genkotsu was also quiet but disorderly. Yet Bankotsu never traded these brothers for anyone else in the world. Even if the other two brothers were undoubtedly 'weird' by all standards. Mukotsu was into drugs and was most likely high most of the time while Kyokotsu was one of those people that were all brawn and no brain. But he still enjoyed their company - up to the point when Naraku killed them.

Bankotsu was certain that he killed them because of the drugs; cocaine, pot and basically any pharmaceutical drug that anyone could lay their hands on. Bankotsu was also aware that Naraku was a drug dealer - a master one at that. Basically, name any crime and Naraku most likely committed it. Or at least, had something to do with it. No one really knew for sure unless they had hard evidence and even that was difficult to find out: Naraku could clean up any crime scene or at least he knew some people who could do that job in a matter of time.

Bankotsu's thoughts were interrupted as his cell phone rang out. Bankotsu rolled his eyes, realizing it was probably Naraku.

"What now?" Bankotsu answered coolly, as he continued to walk in the dark with no light to guide him. He had always been more of a night owl than a morning person, and he had excellent night vision which contributed to his predatory stealth near this part of Tokyo - the part where there was more crime rate.

What really amused Bankotsu was the fact that even though Naraku was feared in most places, there were still some gutsy people willing to take him over. Not only did they epically fail, their mentality, as well as their physical condition, would be bruised.

"What is the problem? I am just calling in for your nightly check-up," Naraku replied, his voice oozing sarcasm.

"The problem is that you're calling in every hour. What do you want?"

"Very observant Bankotsu," Naraku laughed. "But I simply want to know why you have gone out of your way to find Sesshomaru."

"None of your business."

"But it is; you see, he interfered with my current project. InuYasha."

"What about this InuYasha?"

"Now, now, I don't see why I must tell you anything. I only tell you things that concern you or your brothers. Why would I involve someone like you in my business?"

This was the same response that Naraku gave Bankotsu each time he wanted to know something. It infuriated Bankotsu to the point where he'd give into his rage and hang up the phone - tempted to smash it on the ground. But he wouldn't give Naraku the satisfaction that he, Bankotsu, had a temper tantrum. Bankotsu scoffed at the idea. Temper tantrums were for babies.

"Bankotsu, don't be upset with me. I pay for your protection." That of course, was an allegory; he was threatening Bankotsu to behave or else Naraku wouldn't act so kind to him anymore. In truth, Bankotsu was looking forward to that day.

**:3 :3 :3**

In Sango's opinion, it was probably the worst day she had in a while. Define 'worst'. Was it really a horrible day if she kept feeling an unwanted presence on her backside? Her mind screamed yes, but her heart told her a different answer.

Earlier that day, she received a text from Miroku who wanted to hang out with her. In other circumstances, it could have been a best guy friend wanting some company as a last minute resort but this was not that situation. Clearly it was Miroku's idea of asking Sango out on a date. It was amazing how persistent the guy was, knowing that Sango was fierce and deadly - no one wanted to mess with her. Not even the opposite sex. Sango didn't know if he was foolish or brave to test her patience, especially if he was a pervert seeking some intimate relations.

Of course she knew that Miroku was not planning on using her for sex; the two of them had known each other longer than either of them would care to admit. But she was obviously puzzled as to his lecherous behavior. Last time Sango checked, there were no genetics saying that you could inherit this trait from previous generations. Either that someone had influenced Miroku to become this way, or that he just did not know how to really treat women right.

Yes he was sweet and handsome - not to mention a total suck-up when it came to complimenting her beauty. Sango was never used to a man's praise; she was often seen as a tomboy, not an actual woman. Each time Miroku said she was beautiful, Sango totally went to war within her subconscious: she was often at odds with herself about his real intentions. Did he actually mean what he said? Or was he just saying that to make her feel better?

What Sango hated more than anything else in the world was unnecessary pity from others; not that people trying to sympathizing with her helped at all. That only made her feel worse - especially when her father died and her brother disappeared.

But was Miroku really like that? Did he behave in such a manner when he took her to that high class, extremely expensive restaurant the other night? No. Sango just wondered what his real intentions were, even though he did not try to put a perverted move on her. He simply complimented her beauty in the rouge, halter-top dress that she had chosen to wore for the date, and they had a nice conversation over dinner. To Sango's surprise, Miroku didn't even once look at other attractive women in the building and instead kept his gaze toward her. Sango blushed; if he was trying very hard to impress her, then it worked. And the cliche kiss at the end of the first date? Never happened - much to her relief. But Sango couldn't help but think that Miroku was so thoughtful for considering her own needs above his own perverted thoughts. It was like he captivated her in a spell, one that she could never break through.

In other words, this meant that Sango was on her way to falling for him. Sango shook her head, denying the idea entirely. She couldn't believe that she thought that she was falling hard for him after one night of romance. Normally, Sango would play hard to get and not easy to please, yet Miroku easily slipped past through her defenses. Now what was she going to do? Call Miroku and say that she had a wonderful time last night and she would like to do it again sometime? Not on his life. Sango was not going to let Miroku be pleased that that meant he could make a grab for her ass anytime that he wanted. She preferred to keep herself pure, thank you very much.

Sango shook her head, trying to clear herself of her troublesome love life - or a lack of one. The only reason why she was going to Kagome's house at that very moment was to listen to what she had to say; apparently, it was very important - Sango had detected it in her voice. If Kagome didn't sound so worrisome on the phone, then maybe Sango would tell Kagome about the situation with her and Miroku. This was not the right time, seeing that if she did tell Kagome, she was more than likely trying to distract her from talking about her own problem.

Sango knocked on the door and waited as she always had when coming over to the Higurashi house. Sango still had some dignity to not burst in the door - even if she did knock like civilized people, even if other people at school thought she severely lacked etiquette skills. All because of the fact that she wasn't as feminine as the other girls at school.

A couple minutes of thinking this thought deeply, the door opened and Sakura, Kagome's mother, seemed happy to see her. "Hi there, Sango, how are you?" Sango couldn't help but think that Kagome's mother was like her own; they were both kind, gentle and had a tendency to feel concerned for their children. Now that Sango's mother was gone, Sakura seemed like she was the only one to be her mother figure and that was a truce that was signed silently between the two of them.

"I'm good thanks," Sango replied, cracking a smile.

"Kagome's upstairs in her room," Sakura said, and Sango immediately zipped by her to run up the stairs.

"Thanks," Sango said in gratitude.

Sakura couldn't help but shake her head while an amused smile formed; for such a sweet girl, Sakura wished that Sango didn't have to go through so much pain as a child. Sakura didn't think that this was a good thing that she was friends with her daughter, but their friendship merely existed based on common interests and their inner strength to rely on other people when they offered help.

Meanwhile, Sango practically took advantage of the rumours going around of her - that she had no real manners as any lady would have; she opened the door to Kagome's room without even bothering to knock. Not that Kagome was doing anything suspicious in her room.

"Kagome, what is it that you needed to speak to me about?"

Kagome snorted, running a hand through her raven locks as she grabbed a ponytail and tied her hair into it. "Nice entrance as always," Kagome greeted as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh yes, because you are the one that should judge me," Sango said sarcastically, taking a seat on her friend's queen-sized bed. In her own opinion, it felt much more comfortable and relaxable than her own mattress. That was the reason why Sango pretty much wanted to sleep over at Kagome's house on some occasions; she normally didn't get much sleep at her own house. Simply because there were far too many memories. Yet Kagome and Sango always joked about her 'mattress fetish', never bringing any painful memories.

"You're probably wondering why I called you over."

"Last time I checked, this isn't one of those movies where you can be the interogator. And second of all, I first called you." Call Sango crazy, but she had a tendency to correct people if she thought that they made a mistake. Because of this, Kagome also tended to tease her about being an English teacher one day.

"Anyways, you probably noticed how busy I was lately?" Kagome asked sheepishly.

"Define lately. For me, that would be three weeks," Sango crossed her arms.

"You remember when we were at Wacdonald's and we've met up with my mom and this strange man? Well," Kagome took a deep breath in, also trying to maintain her composure. It was pretty hard to do so, considering the fact that she was imagining constant situations of which Sango would react to her 'excuses'. "The old man used to know my father. He knew him better than anyone else." It still hurt Kagome to know that compared to Myouga, her father was a stranger in the household. But she knew that she should slowly get over that fact. "Apparently, the reason why that he was there was to give me an assignment that my dad wanted me to do."

"So, he knew your father and he only showed up seven years after your dad's death?" Sango raised an eyebrow in curiosity, her voice not sounding angry at all with this development in her friend's life.

"It didn't make sense to me either, until he told me the reason why he was here." Kagome took a pause, once again looking Sango in the eye - trying to detect any emotion other than curiosity. When she didn't find any, Kagome continued, "My dad left me an assignment. The reason why I didn't get it when I was younger was obviously because I was too young. Now that I'm old enough... I decided to take part in it."

"I guess that makes sense," Sango said slowly, her voice filled with hesitance.

"It's my job to finish what he started."

"What did he start?"

"Technically, he discovered him when he was on an archeological dig -"

"Him?"

"Do you believe in demons?" Kagome blurted out; in her opinion, it would have been much easier asking Sango this question, and in turn, the story would have been simpler to tell without any interruptions or editing of any kind.

Sango paled as Kagome asked her this question; it was unquestionable that there were demons living in the world that had surived the feudal era, but very few people knew about them. Especially the descendants of demon slayers, which included her family. Sango knew that Kagome didn't believe in that sort of thing, but Sango knew that she didn't want to lie to her. "I think they're just stories," Sango answered as calmly as she could. She hoped that Kagome believed her on that.

"I would have thought so too, until I met InuYasha."

"Who's InuYasha?"

"He's the project that my dad left behind for me to complete; he's half-demon and half-human, he can act so infuriating each time I ask him a question and he has trust issues," Kagome ranted, suddenly remembering his attitude toward her. However, she was not completely aware of the amused glance Sango sent her way.

"Seems to me that you're falling hard for him," Sango snickered, hardly resisting the inner temptation to tease her friend on her love life.

"Are you kidding? He isn't even my type," Kagome scoffed. "But anyways, I have to research him and find out more about his heritage. He's a dog demon." Sango nodded, pretending to only hear this information firsthand. "Even that isn't the end of it. Next thing I know, Naraku pops in and..." Kagome shuddered. "tried to flirt with me."

"Naraku?"

"Yes. It made me wonder why he was there in the first place and not even Myouga knew. Well, I think he knows but he didn't tell me."

And then the silence came. Sango knew she needed time to process this information; she would have been a little mad that Kagome didn't tell her about the task that her dad passed down to her, but that wasn't important. It was the fact that Naraku was there.. that was what bugged her. Sango didn't want to be angry at Kagome for keeping this secret, yet she couldn't help it. But then again, Sango was also keeping a secret from her; she knew demons existed - and it was her job to slay them.

"Sango? Are you okay?"

"Just a lot of information to take in one day," Sango gave her friend a weak smile. That should cover for her excuse.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Everyone has a secret to keep," Sango replied, pretending not to be effected by Kagome's words. It was completely true, and even Kagome knew that. Then both girls realized that if they were not comfortable with talking about certain things, then there should be no reason to share those secrets with other people. Sure, the girls were very close friends, but they knew that they couldn't invade each other's privacy. "Anything else you plan to tell me?" Sango joked.

"Actually, it has to do with Koga."

"What did he do now?"

"Apparently he wanted to know why I was so busy all the time so... I had to take him," Kagome explained. Sango's reaction didn't seem to be more than a blink of an eye. If she was annoyed, she would show it through facial expression.

"I can tell it didn't end well," Sango stated.

"When he first saw InuYasha, basically he wanted to kill him. Not to mention that InuYasha wanted to kill him too. If I hadn't stepped in, I was afraid that they actually would."

"So how'd you stop them?"

"I tried to talk it out, but neither of them would listen," Kagome rolled her eyes. "So then I had to resort to one thing. Which I now regret."

"You kissed Koga."

Kagome tried to look astonished as to how Sango knew, but she thought better of it. Sango knew Kagome better than most people and she could easily read her like a children's book. "It's written all over your face, Kags."

Kagome felt mortified, now that another person knew. "I know, but now I don't even know what to do about Koga. Now he thinks we're dating. Why does everyone think we do?" Kagome paced back and forth, with her hands quivering and her voice filled with stress and frustration. However, this still came to be an amusing sight in Sango's eyes.

"The worst part of it, well the second worst part, is that InuYasha saw."

Sango couldn't help but smile in a 'told-you-so' manner. "So you harbour feelings for him?"

"If you mean feelings of anger and insanity, then yes. After I kissed Koga he just didn't even want to talk to me. It was even worse than the first day."

"Maybe he's jealous," Sango put in her opinion and she highly doubted that Kagome would listen to that theory; surely she must have thought about that possibility thousands of times before complaining about her situation to her.

"I wish," Kagome sighed, her rash temper toward the half-demon disappearing rather quickly, as she sat down beside her closest friend.

Sango didn't mean to sound selfish, but talking about Kagome's love life helped Sango in terms of her own; it made her feel better when Kagome had to vent about unnecessary guy drama when hers seemed to be not as bad. If there was something that Sango had learned here, was that Miroku shouldn't be brushed off like the other guys; to be honest, he was seen in a new light, and it took a partial percentage of Sango's pride to admit that.

"If you're worried about me telling anyone, I won't," Sango clasped a hand on top of Kagome's pale, shaking one. She gave Kagome a reassuring smile that she would never break her scout's honour; Kagome didn't have to worry about trusting her either, since Sango was never one to blabber out secrets like the world depended on it.

"Thanks."

**:3 :3 :3**

**I sincerely hope that you guys forgive me for this long update; to be honest, it wasn't writer's block - it was just trying to make this chapter perfect. And I took my sweet time with it too. :P**

**Please review! I would really like to know what you think :)**


	16. Demon Slayers And Human Haters

**I am so sorry for the lack of updates recently - I had to finish off my other InuYasha fic before really paying attention to this one.. As well as the fact that my family and I took a break from technology, went to go and camp with other close members of my family. Ahh.. so relaxing. **

**I hope that this makes up for the time I've been gone! ^_^**

**- ****Warm-Amber92**: We'll see how Kagome reacts to Sango's secret. She might be understanding, she might be angry, who knows. The girl likes to keep secrets - I'll tell you that much, LOL. Sorry to disappoint you, but InuYasha and Koga won't be fighting anytime soon. Well.. maybe (I think) sometime in the future (like five or six chapters).. Anyways, thanks for reviewing!

- **Sunrise Phoenix**: Yeah, Kagome probably feels so much better now that Sango knows. But she doesn't know the real reason why Sango isn't like a rage-aholic when she got told.. As for Naraku, you'll have to read on, my good friend ^_^

- **darkcreeder**: Can't wait for Kagome and InuYasha? Well, just wait one more chapter - pretty please? 

- **TheRealInuyasha**: As long as you continue to review, I don't have a problem with what you do :P LOL! Thank you for reviewing, ja!

**Chapter 15**

Sango knew she should have been honest with Kagome - just as she had been honest with Sango. Instead, she kept quiet. She kept her secret to herself and it was like Sango didn't even trust Kagome at all. Kagome was a sweet, selfless person in real life but Sango literally couldn't tell her how she felt about her own life. Kagome would try to help her, but Sango also knew that she would be shocked that Sango kept most of her private life away from her. It wasn't until now that Sango had regretted this; before, she always assumed that there were some secrets that she couldn't tell anyone - it wasn't their business.

But Kagome had the will and the strength to tell Sango about her recent endeavour. And the fact that she would be in the same workplace as Naraku. Kagome told her these things even if she had assumed that Sango would be upset with her.

Now Sango was feeling that way: the guilt was consuming her from the inside. In reality, she didn't even know how much longer she could take it.

Another thought crossed her mind; would Kagome be truly upset with her if she told her that she knew demons existed? Well.. she knew that she may be a little angry being told that Sango hunted demons for a living. Whereas, Kagome worked with one.

Just from hearing Kagome talk about the worth ethics with InuYasha, Sango could tell that she was smitten with him. Sango was going to tease her about it for a while, but then figured that she would receive the same answer each time. Kagome was stubborn and she was very difficult to crack open for some answers.

In fact, Sango was glad that Kagome found someone. Sango was getting worried that Kagome's disinterest in boys were a sign of something else, but Kagome had reassured her plenty of times that she was straight. She just didn't want to date anyone; all she focused on was graduating school.

Which led to Sango's next train of thought; if Kagome spent a lot of time with InuYasha - whom Sango decided to meet (no questions asked) at one point in time - that would leave little concentration for schoolwork. This could be a big problem. Kagome was smart, there was no doubt about that, but she could be distracted easily. Not enough to center her attention on something else, but that could happen in the future. At this point, Sango was worried.

Kagome needed to graduate high school if she wanted to enter college. Sango knew that Kagome wanted to go but when it came to her own dreams and goals, Sango knew that college was never an option for her. Not only did her family not have enough money, Sango had a million other things she had to do. Like finding her long-lost brother.

Thinking about Kohaku put a spear right through her heart. It had been a long time since he had vanished. Sango had blamed herself for the disappearance for her brother, since time passed and there was no guarantees that he would be coming back. Sango still felt sad and heartbroken - knowing that her little brother Kohaku had chosen to never come back. From that point on, she didn't even know if she was ever going to find him again.

But Sango figured the best way to not think about it, which would eventually lead to sorrow and agony, was to stay busy. In other words, slaying demons.

Sango grew up in a strict, conservative family; the type which value folklore, legends and silly stories revolving around demonic creatures that were around too long for anyone to trace back their history. She had been informed by her father that demons were evil and had desires to bring upon destruction. They enjoyed killing living, innocent creatures just for the hell of it. But Sango hadn't been told that there were some demons who weren't interested in destruction. She hadn't been taught that there were some demons who merely wanted to bring about world peace. Because her family didn't know; they were people who just wanted to protect their innocent peers. And they seemed to think that they knew the true nature of demons.

Sango had been slaying corrupted demons for a long while - two years at the most. She had kept this secret from Kagome for at least that long, and the guilt started to build up (albeit slowly). Now, Sango was definitely sure that she must tell Kagome. But she was wanting to tell her at the opportune moment - and Sango didn't even know when that would be.

These thoughts continued to haunt her - and Sango let them. Most days she would try to be strong but there was the occasional time when she felt stressed, frustrated and simply exhausted; this turned to the point when she let out her emotions through tears. Kagome never knew about Sango's methods of dealing with the pain. She shouldn't ever know. There was something about Kagome that made her believe that she should never go through torment and agony. But she knew that she also dealt with death and extreme misery. She leaned on Sango whenever she could, but most times Kagome kept to herself.

Even if Sango could start up a conversation with Kagome, what could she say? That Naraku threatened her entire family if they didn't join his despicable gang? Kagome would not take that well; she would demand to know why Sango didn't say anything before. She only knew half the truth about Naraku's involvement - that Sango thought that he kidnapped her brother. That much was true. But how would Kagome truly react if she found out that Sango was offered to being part of an illegal movement? She would be angry and even then that reaction could be an understatement. There was no way of telling how Kagome would react.

Sango hated lying to Kagome. There were some occasions when she had to complete her duty as a demon slayer: there would be demons wreaking havoc somewhere in the city or in the country, and Sango had to leave. Of course she gave pitiful excuses to her whereabouts, but that was because she had been told never to speak of her secret life to anyone. Demon slaying came first. Family and friends came second. Of course Sango had difficulty grasping that thought, since she wasn't like the other slayers. If it were choice, Sango would quit. But since Naraku was still out there in the world hiding and cowering, not to mention bringing more violence to the world, Sango had a duty. She always promised to herself that she would find him and make him suffer for what he had done. She would embark pain and suffering unto him before she killed him. Was it wrong to think such thoughts? Was it wrong of her to have the repressed feelings of revenge and detestment?

Sango slipped into her protective clothing; it was a suit that offered her warmth and comfortability while fighting demons. It was a dark, raven colour with coral pink patches of armour covering the knees and the shoulders. It was a gift from her father before he passed, said he had it remodeled to fit her. Sango knew then that the old version of it belonged to her mother. Every now and then she would pay respects to her parents at the local Sakura tree, where they often prayed together as a family.

When Sango thought about her mother, she didn't remember any bad things. No horrible memories came to mind. Maybe it was because Sango had gotten over her mother's death. It was natural, giving birth to her brother while she died. It was rare in these times - since the technology of 2012 was advanced to prevent anything dire from happening in terms of childbirth. When Sango thought about her mother, she barely remembered her. Sango hated the fact she had a tendency to forget things.. even if it was a death of a beloved family member.

But when it came to her father's death.. she thought about bad memories and good ones. They always balanced each other out - no matter what. It got to the point that Sango had quickly got over his death. Sure, it still hurt thinking about him often (a dull ache in her chest), but Sango knew that there was nothing that she could have done. But it didn't change the fact that Naraku's evil personality led her father to feel guilty about his actions. Why he bothered listening to him was beyond her understanding.

Since then, Sango had to become strong. Not only for herself, but for her friend.

A low, feral chuckle interrupted Sango's thoughts. It was one of those laughs that was giving a signal; the tone indicated that it wanted blood. Sango narrowed her eyes. She knew who it was. She had waited a long time for this.

It was the darkest of dark nights; the moon never shown and the stars were covered by the midnight blue cloak of clouds. There was even a chance that it would rain.

"What do you want?" Sango spat out bitterly, her whole posture tensing up in defensiveness. Even though it was dark, it didn't mean that she wasn't ready to fight. It didn't mean that she was vulnerable. Name a specific setting and she could fight in it. She was taught never to let her guard down - even in the most gruesome of circumstances.

"It's been far too long, my dear Sango." Sango hated how he talked. His voice was filled with slime and disgust. She hated how he tried to sound 'nice and sweet'. It was like he was trying to make her feel weak. He was trying to get to her.

"Not long enough," Sango blinked, feeling tears of hidden rage suddenly invade her eyes. She closed them quickly, and tightened them - putting a stop to the leak.

"You can't run away from me; you know that."

A miniscule rush of fear and despair entered her body. Her heart pounded against her chest violently. "Who said I was running?"

"The offer still stands."

Sango gritted her teeth. "I'll never join you." Truth was, being part of that gang meant more than it appeared.

She could hear him click his tongue in disappointment. "Not even for Kohaku?"

Just hearing him.. say his name was enough to make her snap. Her self-control was close to shattering into thousands of pieces. She knew that nothing would stop her from killing him. "Why are you doing this?" It was amazing how she sounded like she had her pride intact. "What do you want with him?"

"You sound so.. alone, Sango."

"Get away from me. You will never get the satisfaction. Again."

"Don't tell me that you never enjoyed it." His voice was stern and filled with anger.

"I can tell you that you're never welcome in my life. I know what you do for a living. That's how you took Kohaku. Isn't it?"

"What are you accusing me of? He made his own choices; he came to me."

Sango shook her head; more tears of self-preservation and regret were threatening to fall. "You're lying."

"Am I? Keep denying your feelings Sango. I know that you will come to me." With that, he left.

And the strength that she thought she had.. crumbled. Sango knew she couldn't stop the sobs from spilling out of her mouth. She couldn't stop her cries of inner pain. Sango couldn't help but fall to the ground.

This was not the first encounter with Naraku and this was far from being the last one. Sango had tried not to let his words affect her every time that they 'met'. He always seemed to take an interest in her. More beyond the 'ally'. What he did to her.. that long ago.. two years ago. What he did to her was unforgivable. He had no right to do it to her. That was the reason why Sango had to become more animalistic. Especially around the male species.

How did she tolerate him.. doing things to her? Still thinking about the disgusting act was hurtful. Sango was still trying to get over it. She never told anyone.. she couldn't. Not even Kagome.

What would Kagome think of her? For the past two years, she never stopped thinking about it. She never stopped thinking about the possibilities. Kagome would be angry.. and ashamed to even call her her friend. In truth, Kagome wouldn't be ashamed of being her friend, but Sango was far from being rational at that moment. She knew that she would be upset - there was no question about it.

Another important fact: Naraku would not leave her alone. He would continue to torment her and her family for years to come. He would never leave her alone in peace. He practically enjoyed doing this to her. Sango knew he was a notorious liar and a cunning man. No one would believe her that she had been raped by that monster. Because he knew people in all the right places.

She refused to be apart of his gang; in turn, he took her innocence and ripped it apart.

He branded a spider on her back.

He took her life.

He took her brother.

But did he? A piece of her conscience asked her this question; was Naraku lying to her? Or was he telling the truth? Did Kohaku really make his own choices? Was he not the little boy that Sango knew anymore?

Right now, she didn't even know what to think. Her mind was clouded with fear.. an emotion that she hated to feel.

But Sango knew that she should never give up on Kohaku. In a moment, her conscience was obsessed with the thought that he was making his own decisions. That thought was enough to make her cry even more.

"Sango?"

At any given point, she would have stopped crying; she wouldn't give any reason for strangers to ask her if she was okay. But it was different. Because Miroku was no stranger.

"Are you alright?"

Before Sango knew it, she rushed into his arms.. where she felt safe and secure. She could smell his Axe bodyspray.. she could feel the warmth radiating from his body.. She could even feel his arms wrap around her curvaceous figure.. At this point, Sango forgot that he was a womanizing pervert. Right now, he was someone to rely on. He was someone that she liked for a long period of time. He was her savior.

"Miroku.."

"What did he do to you?" Sango knew that tone. Nothing ever occurred to her that he was jealous of anyone. Ever. He was always.. 'sweet' and attentive. He was handsome. This was like a new side to him that Sango hadn't seen before.

"Miroku please.. Please don't ask that of me."

"I'm sorry." Sango knew that he couldn't help but feel guilty. It was like those words were perfectly rehearsed. Not that Sango would ever ask straight up front what he was sorry for. But at least she knew enough to know that he cared.

His arms tightened around her.. giving her his full attention. He was giving her his support. But what Sango didn't know was that he was giving her much more. He was giving her hope.

**:3 :3 :3**

_Kagome didn't know where she was... All she knew was that she was in complete darkness. _

_She wasn't afraid of it. She hadn't been afraid of simple things, such as the dark, since she was a child. But then her father died. That was enough to make her start being afraid again.._

_She was frozen still. There was nothing she could do to make her feel anything. She couldn't feel her body.. she couldn't move. No one was giving her a choice. God, if he truly existed, didn't give her permission. It was like she was being tortured. It was like she was being tormented of any wrongs she had done. _

_Then she saw Naraku. He was staring into her eyes, with an unreadable, confusing expression, but Kagome knew better. He was doing much more than that. His red, bloodshot eyes were tearing apart her soul. She couldn't help but feel.. a little uncomfortable under his gaze. It was as though he was undressing her.. with his cold, cruel eyes. _

_Then she saw InuYasha.. _

_Her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe. _

_He was completely unconscious. He was not breathing... blood marked his body.. _

_His eyes were soulless and blank.. no fight took place in them anymore. _

_Kagome could feel tears though, running down her face. She was more than upset seeing the sight of him this way. He was dead. _

_"You let this happen." Naraku cackled. "You let yourself love him and this is what happened."_

_Kagome didn't feel like she was there.. it was like another person took hold of her body. It was like someone was invading her mind. _

_She couldn't say anything either; she kept staring intensely at InuYasha's mangled body.._

_"You were indeed selfish. Perhaps moreso than me."_

_Evil laughter invaded Kagome's mind. That was all that she could hear.. More accusations of her actions toward loving InuYasha penetrated her concentration. _

_Were those voices right? _

_Was it really her fault that he was dead?_

_"You were quite the vixen. You didn't really believe that you were innocent and pure, were you?"_

_Kagome gritted her teeth. Tears of anger and frustration, as well as sorrow, unleashed themselves - raining down her cheeks quickly. Yet no words of guilt were spilt. No cries of regret. Nothing. _

_Of course she wasn't innocent. She had done a lot of things that she wasn't proud of but that didn't make her a criminal for life with horrid intentions. _

_"You never really loved him, though. You played with his heart."_

_She wanted to scream out how would he know what she felt? _

_Did she love InuYasha? Naraku was indeed implying it.. but.. in reality, she wasn't in love with him. _

_But in this dream world, she was. _

_"Now you must pay the price."_

Kagome woke up, breathing labourly and with good reason. That dream.. that dream felt too real to her. It felt like it was going to happen. Which made Kagome feel even more worse.

What she was afraid of, that she had to admit reluctantly, was seeing InuYasha dead.

For some reason, seeing him like that broke her heart. But Kagome didn't know why; she knew for a fact that she wasn't his lover. He wasn't hers. They just fought on a daily basis - or whenever Kagome had the time to go to the lab. There was nothing more to their plutonic relationship.

She wanted to deny everything that was going on. Kagome felt like that was the easiest solution. In her life, she had to deal with hard choices. She had made tough decisions - regardless of what situation. There were a lot that she had regretted, but she couldn't take it back.

Kagome didn't even want to start thinking about InuYasha.. at least, until she sorted out the debacle with Sango.

And she had to admit, both issues had to wait until morning.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Naraku deserves to be booed, hissed, punched, slapped and kicked right about now. What a jerk. XP!**

**Meanwhile, Miroku comes to Sango's rescue. Bet you were expecting that, huh? And what about Kagome's dream? Sure, she says that InuYasha is nothing more than a fighting buddy, but just you wait girl.. he'll be much more than that.**

**So please, tell me what you think! ^_^ I promise to update soon :)**


	17. CokeSniffing Losers And Crackpots

**I bet you were waiting anxiously for this chapter, weren't you? XD JK, I would never do that to you. Intentionally. I hope you enjoy this week's chapter :)**

**darkcreeder**: FYI, Sango did not let Naraku have his way with her. He raped her. XP But I hope you like the InuKag I have planned for this chapter :)

**Sunrise Phoenix**: There is a reason why this story is rated M. I've also felt sorry for Sango having to go through the worst pain imaginable. Naraku is so mean! XP

**Twilight-ending**: I am glad that you like my writing style ^_^ And yes, you get to see more InuYasha and Kagome! Even sooner than you think :)

**Kagome's Blossom**: I think that you are the type of person who is into intense/suspense dramas. Am I right? Thanks for reviewing :D

**TheRealInuyasha**: Thank you so much ;D But really, Naraku isn't really a likeable person :P I think he's always seen as the bad guy. But that's just my opinion.

**Chapter 16**

The next morning came and went; Kagome's nightmare nearly forgotten. Nearly, being the operative word. Of course she could hardly forget seeing the traumatic vision of InuYasha.. dead. It wasn't that easy to put at the back of her mind. She had to admit though, she was pretty scared when she saw him mangled, bruised, bleeding and dead.. It was almost real; up to the point when Naraku appeared, disappeared and re-appeared every few moments. Kagome had no intentions of having dreams like those again.

It was like the nightmare made her really question about her feelings for InuYasha. At this point, she didn't know how she felt for him. He was a grade A, bad-tempered jerk to her all the time (if he wasn't silent, that was). That obviously didn't mean any romance was going to happen between them - even though in the dream, they were in love. But even that didn't mean anything. Now that she thought about it, the whole thought of any relationship happening was ridiculous. Kagome had to put this aside. She had a huge tendency to think that there were problems that were much larger than they actually were. She worried constantly, depending on who or what was on her mind.

For example, Sango. Granted they didn't talk much lately, considering that the awkward barrier that was between them had somewhat lifted once Kagome told Sango her secret. Kagome knew that Sango was hiding something from her also. She could tell - just by gazing deeply into her brunette eyes. She assumed that Sango would tell her, but it didn't happen. Kagome wasn't going to worry about that right now; Sango would tell her when she was ready. She trusted her to make the right decision for herself, and Sango did the same on Kagome's end.

"Is everything alright, Kagome?" Sakura quietly asked her daughter, who was drifting off into her daydreams. She couldn't help but worry for her daughter, who seemed to be distracted most of the time since Sango had come to visit her the previous day. It was as though something was torturing Kagome from the inside. Sakura couldn't deal with that.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Kagome replied a little too eagerly. She took another bite of her pancake, secretly marveling the heavenly taste of the breakfast meal that her mother concocted.

Everything should be fine; she was going to go to school and focusing on her homework. After, it was a matter of time before school was over and she was going to graduate. Two months. It was April, and for her, graduation was in June. If she chose to study more, she wouldn't have anything to worry about when it came to receiving her marks. Kagome liked school but she didn't know what she was going to do after. Go to college? That was a definite possibility. But what would that mean for InuYasha?

Kagome mentally bonked herself on the head for even thinking about InuYasha. What was the matter with her? Why did she have to think of him constantly? He was only a second priority in her life, merely because school should always be more important to think about. She knew that this summer she had the time to spend more time with him. Such joy.

If only he could be more kind to her, then it wouldn't be such a pain to deal with - at pretty much every visit. She tried to find out more about him, but apparently, he liked being a jerk to her that it nearly made her insane. She tried to be patient with him, but it was HARD. Never before had Kagome met anyone with such a temper. And.. she liked it?

"If you're certain.." Sakura was not the parent who pried into their children's private life; she easily respected Kagome's privacy - since the time when her late husband died. It was hard to raise a child alone, both physically and mentally. Money never seemed to be much of a problem because Surei had managed to bring home a scrapload. She didn't question how he got the money. That was one of the many regrets that Sakura had.

When Kagome was growing up, she started to look more like Surei every day. At that point in time, Sakura was hurt. But that pain decreased into a sore throb; she had a piece of Surei with her. Always. That would never change until Kagome would graduate school.

Sakura and Kagome never really discussed what Kagome was planning to do in her future; they had both been through a lot as of recently. Her father had died and funeral arrangements had to be planned. But Sakura couldn't find the time to - she had been seeking employment. "Have a good day at school," Sakura gave her farewells before exiting out the kitchen, and the house, altogether.

Kagome's grandfather passed away not even two weeks ago, and she knew that she was still feeling pain. But it was natural to feel something for someone whose time on Earth was cut short. Plus, he was starting to grow old and it wasn't as depressing to go through than Surei's funeral. It was life. But Kagome noticed that her mother was still sad about both deaths; which made Kagome wonder if she could truly move on.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Mr. Onigumo, the DA would like to talk with you," Yura, a feisty yet highly unintelligable worker to Naraku's command, spoke in his direction - trying to ignore the smoke that was protruding from the cigarette that he was smoking.

"Thank you, Yura," Naraku's monstrous, blood-red eyes glowed brightly in the dark.

Naraku was a busy man; he had schemes to sort out and plans to put in motion. Interruptions, occuring weekly, were starting to get annoying on Naraku's part. He was not the type of man who obeyed the law willingly. He was the sort of man to use the law to his advantage. To turn it against other people. He had people to do his bidding.

He had to deal with thousands of emails most days, from his undercover agents. They were most incompetent which made it all the most irritable to deal with. Many of them couldn't even complete their task, thus their lifespan was shortened.

What he wanted in his henchmen was this: no questions asked. Do as you are told. Otherwise, your life is gone in an instant. Naraku was contemplating ending the Band of Seven; Bankotsu was too smart for his own good. He knew that something was up. But Naraku knew that they were a valuable asset to him - which was the only reason why they were not dead. But if Bankotsu continued to annoy him with questions, he would find another way to put an end to them. He was a master schemer; no one questioned his methods of choice. Except the district attorney.

Naraku also had the urge to kill.. to spill blood, but he decided against it. He was a twisted man - what would be better than to use the DA for his own twisted reasons? Even though he loved to spill blood, and the DA himself was irritating.. Naraku didn't decide what to do with the troublesome human. Some things were left better in the hands of demons. Such as himself.

Humans were incredibly weak and stupid. They had a tendency to think that they were superior, when really, they weren't. It also amused Naraku that they also had a habit to blame other countries for problems that they had caused on their own. How ludicrous. If it were Naraku's choice, all humans would be exterminated. They served no real purpose.

"Mr. Onigumo." Naraku held back the anger that was rising from the inside; just from hearing his voice, one would tell that this man was not likable in any circumstance.

"Mr. Takemaru, what an honour."

Takemaru was not the man to accept pleasantries. His physical appearance showed that much; with brown hair slicked back, eyes that glow a hideous hazelnut colour and a mouth with surprising insults coming out of it was never easy for anyone to comprehend. He was one of the richest men in Japan and his ego was also one of the biggest.

"Cut the shit, Naraku," Takemaru sat down. "You know what I want."

Naraku raised an eyebrow. "You have been denied access to the facility. What makes you think that you can get permission this time?"

Takemaru also had an OBSESSION with the supernatural. In other words, he had a disturbing addiction to demons. Were they real? Where are they now? What do they do for a living? Do they have acceptable personal hygiene? Do they change their underwear? Naraku found this bothersome. He would rather listen to Bankotsu's impudent questions than to listen to this dick talk.

"I have a Court order, from the Emperor himself," Takemaru smirked in delight, wishing to see the reaction that Naraku obviously had. "Not to mention that I know what you are." He smiled evilly, showing pearl, snow-white, crystal clear teeth.

Naraku laughed wholeheartedly, amused by this human's attempt to blackmail him. "You are a fool, Takemaru. Even if you could gain access to my project, what makes you THINK that the outside world will believe you and your theories? What proof do you have to justify against me?"

Takemaru could not help but pale, thinking carefully about Naraku's words. His skin soon turned red though, in anger and embarrassment. How dare this DEMON humiliate Takemaru this way? How dare he could think that he was superior over to him?

"If you have any new accusations, please, keep them to yourself. I don't believe your family will find it helpful," Naraku shrugged his shoulders, reminding the human of his current situation.

Despite his current wealth and newfound fame in the country, there were rumours that Takemaru splurged his money on poker games and strip clubs. Even though he had a wife and a daughter to take care of, his money was stripped away from him and his bank account - just because he had the unexplainable urge to buy alcohol and to bet it on ridiculous games. These 'rumours' had yet to be actually confirmed, but Naraku decided that he would keep playing this game for a little while longer.

"Fuck you," Takemaru seethed, his facial expression turning into one of unexplicable rage and terror. He was beyond mortified. Because every word that Naraku said was true.

"I do not swing that way, Takemaru," Naraku chuckled, enjoying the expression planted on his face. He knew that he never had any court orders - even if they were allegedly from the Emperor. Naraku could not be deceived, nor could he be scared at a frivolous piece of paper.

"I will get you," Takemaru threatened. Takemaru sure was persistant; this was not the first time that he had threatened Naraku. But he would always stay quiet - since he did not want his addiction to gamble to be released to the press. Takemaru did not want to lose his status as Japan's most prestigous attorney.

"We will see." Countless times, Takemaru tried and failed to make the Emperor see his ways; Naraku was a 'valuable asset' to society and remained untouched. The so-called rivalry between them had been occurring for fifteen years. Takemaru knew that Naraku was a monster - a demon - and had to be terminated. Unfortunately, Naraku's power had influenced the country. It meant that he may as well be Emperor. This never settled well with Takemaru, which made him continue to pursue Naraku. Yet it was truly amazing how Takemaru tried to settle it out of court: the public would never be aware of Takemaru's real life. But Naraku could change that notion any moment.

"I would say farewell, but a demon like you never deserves one. Unless your time on Earth is up," Takemaru smirked egotistically, before exiting the room - slamming the door loudly on his way out.

Naraku sighed. Now that the weekly bothersome appearance by Takemaru was gone, he could now focus on other things.

Such as InuYasha.

He grimaced as he thought of the disgusting half-breed. The project that Surei Higurashi had discovered many years ago. The project that Naraku tried to buy Surei off of. He hated the filthy pup. There was only one reason for that. But of course, she did not live anymore, so what did it matter now. He was weak and intolerable. He was not even worth testing for h is true strength. He didn't even deserve to live.

But there was a slightly more important matter to deal with; Kagome Higurashi. He had to admit that she may be vulnerable and weak in his presence, but he could sense the fire hidden beneath her eyes.. He could sense the fight rising from her very soul. Naraku could tell that she was similar to **her**, but she was not her. Kagome was, no doubt, intelligent. But her methods of trying to decode information from the pup were hopeless. Yet Naraku could see that something was forming between InuYasha and Kagome. Though they fought often, it was just another saying that they were getting along perfectly.

What Naraku planned to do with the girl was claim her for his own; that was, if she did not continue to form a bond with the project. If she became too close to him, dire consequences could happen. She would start questioning what Naraku had in mind for the project, as well as his overall intentions. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before anything ever occurred. Yet.. he was looking forward to the feistiness. One could say that he almost craved it.

The girl was beautiful - no questions asked. Perfect raven hair, perfect chocolate eyes.. skin delicate as porcelain and white as snow. Yes. He would definitely claim her.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome pretty much assumed that the school day was going to be boring. It became her regular routine. The teachers were alright, the classes were okay and the students.. well.. that was another story. One thing that she hated about her school was the fact that a lot of the kids were stuck-up and obnoxious. Of course the teachers never seem to pay attention to their attitudes, for what reason, Kagome never knew. But at least she didn't let them give her hell, she still had her self-esteem in place.

And then there were students who were loners, students who were just.. not exactly stupid, but their heads were filled with air. Then there were kids who had self-esteem issues, hair issues, and what not. Kagome used to be one of those people who had self-esteem issues. Used to, being the operative words.

But were there people who fit into the nice category? Well, her old friends, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi did. They still spoke to Kagome at school - just not frequently enough. They were nice and everything, but friendship wasn't something that could be easily attained anymore. At least they didn't turn into bullies.

Then there was Hojo. Kagome didn't know what to classify him as - seeing that he never acted like anyone else. Kagome assumed that he was still a nice guy though. But they didn't talk anymore, which made it all the more awkward. They knew each other since they were in pre-kindergarten. They were close, but not close enough.

The morning turned out to be pretty unexpected. Not only did her ex-best friends smile in her direction and talk a little to her, something else happened.

Kagome was just sitting at her desk, completing her in-class English questions. Reading Macbeth was simple - she used to have a slight obsession of William Shakespeare a year or so ago and just read most of his work. Completing the questions was not something that was made to be difficult either; she was on question number ten and after that, she had to finish the quotes for the act.

Though the morning could have gone better if she hadn't received a small slip of paper. She noticed it on top of her desk, though she never know why she didn't before.. She read it, and she had to say that this was another check scribbled off the list. How anyone started to come up with such ridiculous rumours about anyone was just plain rude. Kagome was not the type of person to sleep with anyone, or being on drugs, or drinking. Looks like 'an absolute eyesore of a mute' is added unto the list of insults that she had received throughout the year. She wasn't constantly bullied, but every once in a while, she'd receive a note from a girl in class. It was annoying to say the least. But at least there weren't many notes as there were last year.

"Kagome?" A smooth yet slightly timid, gentle voice interrupted her from her studies. Her heart beat increased steadily, as she blinked her eyes slowly, while she glanced up to see the crystal azure eyes of Hojo. He was sitting in the desk beside her to the right.

Even though she hadn't really been social with him, she felt a tiny flutter in her stomach. She couldn't help but feel nervous around him. "Hojo," She returned the smile. Of course she didn't know what to say: she hadn't been expecting him to talk to her now.

"Listen, I have been meaning to apologize to you."

Kagome tilted her head sideways with a confused expression. "Why? You haven't done anything."

"Except not being there for you," Hojo interrupted, his eyes filled with regret. Kagome could really detect genuine sorrow in them, and she kind of felt bad for making him feel that way. "I feel like we've never spent a lot of time as a couple, you know?"

After hearing his confession, Kagome had the sudden urge to blush in embarrassment. She couldn't help but feel angry - though she didn't know who she was mad at. He never even bothered to speak to her for a few years and now he said he wanted to go on a date with her? Kagome could not help but feel like there was something going on. What reason did Hojo have to ask her out all of a sudden?

Her stomach felt like it was being filled with gasoline. She did not have a good feeling about this. Kagome shook her head, clearing away her paranoia. If Hojo truly meant what he said, then there would be no problem going out with him right? Plus, it wasn't like he was one of those dicks that would use her for sex. He was a truly nice guy, if anything else. Hojo wouldn't hurt her.

But then again, Kagome was still a little unsure about giving her trust away to Hojo again. She thought that she once knew him enough to know that there was no other guy that could earn her trust like he had. Time had changed.. could Hojo be an entirely different person now?

She moaned to herself. When had she ever become so paranoid? Well, that question was obvious and so was the answer. The time when she met Naraku. Now, Naraku was a mega creep with psychological terrors to come with him. Was he one of those guys that had severe mental scarring?

"Kagome?"

She blinked out of her unintended delusion. "Sorry," She apologized, giving Hojo a quick smile. "I've got a lot on my mind lately."

Hojo noticed the note. "I'm sorry about that too. The other girls in the class are just seeking out attention."

It was sweet that Hojo had apologized for their behavior, but it wasn't like Kagome was asking him to tell those other girls to quit it. She could take care of herself. "Anyways, I know this is kind of sudden, but would you like to do something this Saturday? That is if you're not too busy," Hojo added, as though there actually was hope.

Kagome actually wasn't busy; she was sure that she didn't have any plans. Of course, she could go to the lab if she wanted to, but she knew that she wouldn't get much things accomplished with InuYasha. She was trying hard to hide a blush now; why would she start thinking about InuYasha? Especially if Hojo was blatantly asking her out? It wasn't like she was not available - she was single. She could at least try to have a social life. She could take a break for once, and spending the day with Hojo couldn't possibly be as bad as spending the day with InuYasha.

Not to mention that her mother obviously wanted to see her happy with someone - regardless if she was dating someone or not.

"Yeah, I don't have anything to do on Saturday." Apparently, that was the right answer: seeing that Hojo was practically brighting up like christmas lights.

"How about a movie?"

"Sounds good," Kagome tucked a stray brunette hair away from her face and behind her ear. Truth was, it did sound simple enough. But if it was a romantic dinner, then Kagome would have to say no. She wasn't looking for a boyfriend right now.

**:3 :3 :3**

After school, Kagome waited by the outside basketball court for Sango.

She didn't have much homework today, which was a major relief, and it meant that she was able to go to the lab. Although it meant that she'd have to butt heads with InuYasha again, at least she didn't have to deal with boredom. Somehow.. fighting with InuYasha gave her adrenaline; she didn't even know why. It was like her life was being filled with excitement each time he insulted her. Granted that she never accepted insults from him - being that they were rude - her arguments weren't that much better. She never met anyone like that in her life..

"Kagome?" Sango blinked a couple of times, walking toward her friend - who appeared to be daydreaming.

"Oh. Hey Sango," Kagome greeted Sango with a change of attitude. It was like she was hiding something.. but Sango wasn't going to ask. In fact, she wasn't even sure that she wanted to know. "Ready to go?"

"Actually, I have track practice today, but I came over here to talk to you about InuYasha, was it?" Sango explained.

Kagome grinned and rolled her eyes; she didn't know anyone that had many extracirricular activities more than Sango. She never claimed to be extremely girly, since she was part of extreme self-defense clubs and what not. No wonder Sango was in shape. Sango tried to get Kagome to join her clubs, but Kagome always thought that she was clumsy and couldn't even handle meeting a creepy man wanting more than change from her pocket. Call her a scaredy-cat/Mary-Sue, but it was true. (NO RHYMING INTENDED)

"What about him?"

"When do I get to meet him?"

Kagome widened her eyes in surprise; Sango never really mentioned wanting to meet him before. Ever since she told her about him. In fact, Kagome was quite sure that Sango didn't have much of an interest in him. Now why would that change?

"No offense, Sango, but.. why would you want to meet him?" Kagome asked skeptically.

"I just want to know what kind of guy you're seeing, that's all," Sango shrugged her shoulders like it wasn't a big deal. But apparently, in her mind, it was. "Besides, I can't help but worry about what kind of guy he is."

"True," Kagome replied, nodding her head. No one would ever know what kind of creepers, kidnappers and coke-sniffing losers there were out there.

**:3 :3 :3**

Even though Kagome didn't have much homework that day, she still felt completely exhausted. Both mentally and physically. Mentally because Hojo had the balls to talk to her again, as well as her old friends. Physically because she had to walk most of the way to the lab. She didn't need any escorts this time around - simply because everyone was mostly busy with their lives. It was alright with Kagome; after all, she didn't want to feel incapable of walking somewhere with someone by her side. Okay, walking home with Sango was the same thing but technically she didn't feel incapable of walking alone while with her.

When she walked into the room, which the walls were still painted snow white, at first she thought that things were completely normal. She was still tired and it took her a few moments to relax and calm down. Kagome indeed had a lot on her mind, like she told Hojo earlier that morning. Not only was she thinking about their friend-date, she was also thinking about Sango. Kagome knew that she couldn't stop Sango from meeting InuYasha; it wouldn't be fair after all, since Koga had got on the wrong foot with him. Second of all, Sango was just as stubborn as she was. She literally could not stop her from meeting him.

Kagome decided to make a mental list of all the people she had to meet: Sango, was obviously her number one choice, then Hojo - considering that was all she thought about during class, next was her mom (to talk of funeral arrangements and other things), InuYasha (because he liked to be a pain in the beaver), Rin (because she never saw her at school and intended to visit her) and then Koga. She knew that Koga should never be last on her list to straighten out, but this was a different situation altogether. She hadn't really thought about what she was going to do the next time she saw him. The last thing Kagome wanted was a surprise visit - especially if she was here in the lab.

Speaking of which.. she assumed that InuYasha would start harping at her about something or other like he usually did. Kagome had grown used to his bitching and complaining.

But when she turned around to face the boy behind the glass wall.. she gasped. She nearly collapsed to the ground after what she had seen. Her heart was pounding ferociously and nearly lost her breath.

Kagome lost all of her mental reasoning and unlocked the door that led her to be in the same space as InuYasha. She had to hurry.. his life was depending on it.

"InuYasha!" Kagome couldn't help but yelp out, seeing that it was a suitable time to exclaim it out like that.

At first, she couldn't believe it was him; she saw a mangled body lying unconscious on the floor. She could see blood pouring out of scratches (both thin and thick). She could see that he had been whipped tremendously. It was extremely cruel.

Kagome was never used to seeing this much blood before. She bit her lip, as she sunk down next to InuYasha. Without thinking straight, she ripped off several pieces of her shirt in order to make bandages. There was never a first aid kit in here, and Kagome decided that would change.

Kagome couldn't help but stare in awe.. his body was chiselled. It was like he was a present to the gods... Gosh, Kagome never seen back muscles that tight and handsome. Wait. Did she say handsome? Kagome blushed; she had to admit that she liked what she saw. But it was not like she was going to admit that to him. If he ever woke up.

Just thinking about that.. it made her feel anxious. She was beyond worried that he wouldn't wake up. What if he died? Kagome felt guilty that this happened to him. No one deserved to be beaten and whipped. It was inhuman.

Kagome knew she was just seconds away from crying her heart out. She.. couldn't hide it any longer. She liked those interactions between her and InuYasha. She liked him. She liked being around him. But she didn't know what she was going to do about it; would she admit that she cared about him? Kagome was not sure at the moment, but she had to start bandaging his wounds. In time, she was going to start falling in love with him; but she didn't know that. There were going to be many obstacles to make the both of them see their deep hidden affection for each other...

**:3 :3 :3**

**So, how did you like that? I bet you're disappointed that it's not much InuKag action, but I absolutely promise you on the life of my cat, InuKag will have more moments next chapter! But hey - at least you now know that Kagome likes him, Sango wants to meet him, Naraku hates him, blah, blah, blah. **

**Please review! I promise to update soon!**


	18. Admiration of Personal Courage

**Who's ready for chapter 17? I know I am! ^_^ **

**I have to warn you though - more creepiness from Naraku can be seen in this chapter. But at least there's a sweet InuKag moment here right? XD**

**Twilight-ending**: Thank you so much - your reviews just builds up my self-esteem. LOL. I hope you love what I have in store for InuYasha and Kagome! :)

**TheRealInuyasha**: Nice to hear from you again :) If you want to make Naraku a protagonist, just go for it! I'm not the type to discourage anyone from their writing! ^_^

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Unfortunately, it was Naraku who did the whipping to InuYasha :( He is a real jerkface, isn't he? XD As for Kagome and InuYasha.. well, you'll have to see this chapter! Hehe :3

**Kagome's Blossom**: HE IS SUCH A CREEPER! Too bad that guys like him exist in real life. (shudders and grimaces) Naraku makes me want to LOCK THE DOOR! :P Can't wait to hear from you soon :)

**ninjapuppies**: It's you. I haven't heard from you in the longest time ever! :) Thanks for reviewing!

**Chapter 17**

There was good news and then there was bad news. The good news was that the wounds weren't too serious - though Kagome worried the blood could easily leak through her thin subsitute for bandages. The bad news was.. that InuYasha was injured to the point of unconsciousness. It scared her to think that there was a distinct possibility InuYasha would nearly come to the point of dying. The thing was, he wasn't now, but in the future, he could.

A sudden flashback of InuYasha's corpse was enough to cut off Kagome's heartbeat. She widened her eyes in shock, the gruesome nightmare still a perfect memory inside her mind. She knew that would frighten her to no end. For someone that managed to ignite the fire underneath her soul, InuYasha... he did not deserve such a terrible fate. Considering that Kagome didn't know much about him, there had to be a reason why he was so angry at her all the time. Kagome remembered vowing to herself to be patient with him.. It took all of her willpower to not walk away. Right now, it took all of her strength not to leave him alone. She couldn't bear it.

It had been a short period of time since Kagome met him.. yet.. he made her feel emotions that no one else did. He was the one that could make her feel angry, as well as excitement and adrenaline. She was the one that yearned to win every fight that they had.. For some reason, she just wanted more.

Kagome shook her head. Now was not the time to think of such things. InuYasha's well-being was more important than her 'feelings' of pented-up lust. Or was it.. love? Another flashback came to mind. They were busy fighting about something - God knows what - and Kagome didn't expect InuYasha to explicitly say 'take off that make-up crap.' Or something along those lines.. She never really took the time to think about that until now. Was he saying.. that she was beautiful? Without make-up to enhance her features? Even though what he said could have come out as an insult, she looked behind those words.

Kagome cracked a tiny smile; she definitely thought that he thought she was pretty. The small, mortified blush on his cheeks was enough proof. Kagome never saw him so embarrassed in her life.. she had to admit though that she thought he was cute. Heck, he was more than 'cute'. He was clearly gorgeous; in comparison to the other boys she saw, they could never measure up to InuYasha.

She did have some sort of attraction toward him, but it wasn't like she couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't like she could tell InuYasha these feelings..

Regardless of the situation, she had to put those feelings aside. At least.. most of them.

Sure, Kagome was concerned, but how would she feel if he suddenly woke up? Kagome knew that there was a chance that he would start fighting with her again.. but that wasn't the scary part. What was the scary part? Him possibly rejecting her? Kagome couldn't help but scoff; she had dealt with a lot of pain in her life. Surely she could handle heartbreak.. Who knew what she would feel like IF there was a chance that InuYasha knew her feelings for him. She knew they weren't fully developed, but they were starting to form. One part of Kagome's conscience did not like this at all. That part of her scoffed at the idea of love - especially with someone like InuYasha. Who fell in love with a jackass? Especially only after a brief amount of time? The other part of Kagome was more rational and a lot less infuriating. That part of her was saying that she needed to feel love. She needed someone to help her. She needed to find someone that would make her happy and that would make her feel loved. But would InuYasha make her feel that way? If only there was another side to him, maybe Kagome would know how to sort out the clunky junk residing in her heart. She was more than confused at the moment.

If she was truly in love with InuYasha - which was saying a lot - would she allow herself to get closer to him? Kagome knew for sure that she wouldn't use her feminine wiles to get the information she needed out of him. Not only would that ultimately fail, Kagome knew she wouldn't feel right doing it. It wasn't like InuYasha was stupid although some of his arguments are kind of unoriginal. The only option that Kagome had was stay by his side.

Literally, she was by his side. But to be more technical, she moved InuYasha so he was lying face up on her lap. If he was not injured and he was merely sleeping, Kagome would have blushed. To be brutally honest, she never had a guy lie down on her lap before. Much less a smoking hot, gorgeous one..

Kagome gritted her teeth. What was the matter with her? She had to focus on the task at hand.. in reality, it meant that she had to sit back and watch over him. If Rin were here, she would go aww and say that this was a cute, romantic moment. Which reminded Kagome that she hadn't seen Rin in a while.. she decided she had to give her a call sometime soon.

All of a sudden, she heard a moan slip past his lips.. it wasn't very loud, but given that Kagome had a pair of excellent ears, she could hear it. She looked down to see his face.. Kagome bit her lip. It seemed as though he was suffering; his eyebrows were scrunched and his eyes, though closed, could also be wincing. His lips were pinched together in a half-smirk, half-frown. Kagome's first thought? He looked sexy..

Again, to no one's surprise, Kagome had to mentally shake any remains of feelings of that sort away. She couldn't even concentrate very well - especially if she kept staring at the guy.

"Kagome.."

Her heart fluttered. Her eyes widened. Her cheeks started to turn a light shade of rosey pink. Was he dreaming about her? Or was he actually awake? Judging from the way he repositioned himself.. he was still asleep.

"You smell sweet," He muttered.

Since when did InuYasha become so sweet and nice to her? Kagome wasn't going to complain, but she felt a tiny bit uncomfortable hearing those words. And the tone that he used; InuYasha's voice was filled with calmness - unlike the other times when he used anger as his companion all the time. Kagome could start getting used to this other side of him. Now that Kagome knew that he had a sweet side.. would he start treating her with more respect? Or would he go back to his same old, paranoid, angry self? Kagome knew that the fights would probably never stop - give or take. Therefore, she had a feeling that him giving her compliments would more or less be rare to see from him. It wasn't a huge deal though; it wasn't like Kagome was going to constantly ask him to change.. After all, Kagome knew that she was starting to like him for just being himself.

Kagome wondered what InuYasha thought about her. Did he think that she was rude? Did he think that she was beautiful at least? Given that Kagome never really heard such things from a guy before - Hojo and Koga did not count as they were just friends. Kagome couldn't care less about what any other boy thought of her.. but for some reason, InuYasha's opinion mattered.

"InuYasha..." Kagome whispered. As if she fell under a spell, she found herself clearing away the stray hairs, which felt pleasant and soft under her touch, that managed to cover a part of his facial features. His handsome facial features...

"Kagome... why are you crying?" He asked, using the same gentle tone as he did when he complimented her. Kagome froze and stopped all of her movements.

Kagome blinked -wondering if InuYasha was really indeed awake.. His eyes were closed - but that obviously could mean either way. She knew that InuYasha was right though: tears were leaking and stained her porcelain cheeks. Kagome hadn't really noticed.. mostly because she was focused on bandaging InuYasha's back wounds.

"I.. was afraid." It wasn't exactly a lie if she was scared now, was it?

InuYasha chuckled. "What were you scared of?"

Kagome's cheeks glowed pink. "Of losing you." Kagome widened her eyes - only realizing the moment she said it what she said.

"You were scared for me?"

"At one point."

Again, Kagome didn't know how words slipped past her like that; only after saying such things, again, she did realize that she was saying her true feelings. The feelings that were buried deep inside. The feelings that she did not want InuYasha to know. Well, she already told him much more than she originally planned... what could be the worst part about telling him about her nightmare? After all, for once, he wasn't acting like a grade-A jerk.

"You.. shouldn't." InuYasha said, after a long moment of silence.

"What?"

"You shouldn't look out for me."

Kagome blinked, before taking a moment to fully figure out what he was talking about. "Why not?"

"Half-demons don't deserve any compassion. They don't deserve to live.. in general," InuYasha whispered out, and Kagome could detect the anger and sarcasm in his voice. "To demons.. it is a disgrace for one to have 'dirty blood'. To humans, we're just bloodthirsty monsters." After hearing InuYasha explain his position, Kagome felt a plethora of emotions run through her mind - including thoughts.

Kagome was not one of those people who made prejudices toward others, nor did she have any discriminant, racist views. She was one of those people who wished that everyone would be treated equally and not by status. Or race. Even though InuYasha had been pretty cruel to her since they first met, Kagome knew that not even InuYasha deserved to be treated horribly. She would be willing to give second chances to those who deserved it. She had a feeling that InuYasha was one of those people.. At that point, Kagome assumed that he had a horrible life - making him think this way. Kagome imagined that he had to deal with a lot of insults as well as physical abuse. Just for being different. No matter in what period of time, there was always going to be someone that judged you.

Kagome felt angry towards those people - the ones who think they were superior to everyone else. To the ones who were classified as garbage underneath their feet.

"You are not," Kagome said firmly - fighting back even more tears that were threatening to fall. "You are not a monster, InuYasha."

"You haven't seen what I've done."

Kagome intercepted him. "Just because you are half and half, it does not make you a monster. Besides.. you must have had a reason for whatever you've done. These scars..." Kagome trailed off, finally noticing his upper body - practically covered in thin scratches that had faded over time. Again.. Kagome felt.. empathy toward InuYasha for going through the pain and torment that came with being who he was.

"Kagome.. you are the one person who didn't give a damn what I did," InuYasha chuckled. "But there are a lot of demons out there who'd disagree with you. They still remember.."

Kagome raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "There's more of you out there?"

"For all I fucking care, sure. But.. there probably won't be many half-demons around."

"How come?"

"A lot of those asshole demons..." suddenly, InuYasha cursed under his breath - feeling pain erupt from his lower back before continuing , "didn't tolerate half-demons. A lot of them were slain."

Then, there was silence. Kagome thought that he was waiting for her to say a rude comment about his mini-history lesson. Or something about his language. But to his surprise, she didn't. "You were brave," Kagome admitted. It was the truth. "You were brave to stick it out front. But I am sorry about your-"

"I didn't have any friends. Everyone was just looking out for their own asses." Kagome then noticed him wincing in pain again. A flare of worry shot up her spine..

"InuYasha.. just rest," Kagome told him. "You don't have to talk anymore. Just go back to sleep." She didn't know why she did this, though she was assuming it was because they had an actual civilized conversation (even if the topic itself was not civilized), but Kagome laid her hand on his left cheek, pressing gently. To her shock, he leaned into her touch.. Kagome nearly blushed - and she was close to being mortified. Being embarrassed about this clearly wasn't enough.

"Are you.. embarrassed about being with me?" InuYasha whispered, his voice gruffy and hoarse at the same time.

"Why.. why would you think that?"

"I can smell it on you.. but it's.. nice..." InuYasha replied, his voice trailing off. A sign that he was going back to his dreamworld. A place filled with unrest, uneasiness and horror. Though in Kagome's mind, it seemed as though his facial expression was peaceful.

Kagome couldn't help but crack a smile.. After what he told her, she had a lot to think about.

For example, the fact that she was the only person that didn't despise him for what he was. In truth, Kagome somewhat felt accomplished.. for achieving a goal that she never thought that she'd set for herself; befriending InuYasha. It seemed like he trusted her now - but she knew then that he was most likely going to forget this conversation ever happened. But Kagome wouldn't. Because he said a lot of things that he could have spoken to her about in either form.

Like the fact that he was a monster.

She couldn't know exactly how old he was (in demon years); if he was over a hundred, he may have experienced a lot more pain and suffering. Prejudice was tolerated in the feudal era a lot more so than today - seeing that human rights evolved over the years.

Kagome felt like she was one step closer to knowing who InuYasha was..

But who was he? Was he a regular jackass who liked to piss people off for the fun of it? Or was his irrational anger a wall - built to defend himself from pain and humiliation? Kagome felt bad for him.. knowing that InuYasha had to deal with people who were masochistic and sadistic. It was like he had no one...

But Kagome knew that would change. Once she tore down the wall that surrounded his heart, Kagome would know the truth. She would be there for him time and time again. She would never hurt him. Kagome knew she never could. Because a new understanding had developed between them; and so did a bond..

**:3 :3 :3**

Meanwhile, Kagome didn't know that someone was spying on her.. Someone with a hidden agenda. Someone that was working for Naraku - that much was certain.

Red eyes glowed.. seeing the 'heartwarming' sight and the conversation that had occurred between a mostly-unconscious hanyou and a human woman. A woman that did not understand the world and those who lived in it.

Considering that Kagura was a demon who didn't live further than the world wars, she had a lot more knowledge. She knew a lot more about prejudice. She knew a lot more about how hanyous were treated differently. But she would never voice out her opinions.

If Naraku knew that Kagura wasn't as loyal as she put on.. her life would end in a heartbeat. Literally, it would end in a heartbeat.

As much as Kagura despised Naraku, she had to listen to his commands. He held her heart.. he could end it any moment.

"Kagura, I hope you have something to report." Just by the tone of his voice, Kagura could tell that he meant serious business. He was practically threatening her with his very soul..

"Higurashi and InuYasha are growing closer. She cares for him," Kagura stated blandly, with no emotion.

She could hear Naraku chuckle from the other end of the cell phone. "Excellent. We will use this to our advantage. Now Kagura, we must inform Bankotsu."

"Why? I thought you didn't want him to be a part of it."

Kagura could practically see him grinning maliciously from the other end... "At first, I didn't. But plans do change Kagura. You would know that better than anyone." He could not be referring to her lifespan, could he? He wouldn't dare cutting the string on her life.. she was serving a purpose. Naraku wouldn't toss out a servant who was useful. Until the very end, when he did not need her anymore, could he do such a thing.

"What will happen to the girl?"

Naraku, once again, laughed. "Do you have a change of heart, Kagura? Are you infatuated with humans? The welfare of the girl is of no concern. She will be mine." Shivers of pure disturbance ran down Kagura's spine. She wouldn't question her master's plan again.. too many times she had defied him, and he ended up with the power to do whatever he wanted to do with her.

But.. Kagura couldn't stand how he accused her of liking humans. Humans were weak. Humans were stupid. She was just curious.. but Naraku was right; whatever happened in the end was of no concern. She was expendable. She was worth nothing..

**:3 :3 :3**

**There we have it folks! ^_^**

**Wow - that was some conversation between Kagome and InuYasha. Right? Obviously, Kagome is sympathizing with him. But she's trying to make him feel accepted.. that could only mean one thing. She's slowly starting to love him! Oh, girl, it's going to be more than a 'simple attraction'! XD**

**And Naraku? Really? Making Kagura creep on Kagome and InuYasha? To be honest, I was not surprised at ALL that he would pull this off. Seeking a reaction from Kagome.. sicko. **

**Anyways, please do review! I REALLY want to know what you think :3**


	19. Kidnapping Is Illegal

**I take it you guys are faring well :3 I know I am - man, I am feeling the love lately. (Not in my lack of love life, obviously) You reviewers are the best! BTW, this chapter has Sesshomaru and Rin in it. Hope you guys don't mind!**

**Twilight-ending**: Define a 'well-worth it death'. JK, no actually, Naraku will meet his end in the future. (I can't tell you when in the future, just that he will die) Glad to know you have a daily obsession of checking for updates! LOL XD

**Sunrise Phoenix**: It's about time huh? Took 18 chapters for her to start making her feel something for the guy XD A creepy Naraku means a more painful death for him! Seriously, he is a mega creep with a capital C! Anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**Warm-Amber92**: I've never heard from you in a while, either. Is this a high school reunion? Ha! Just joking XD "Creeper shoes". NICE ONE! XD Since I don't know what they look like.. mind sending me a picture? LOL. Thanks for reviewing :D

**ninjapuppies**: trust me - just say summer school and I understand; I've been there! Yes, InuKag bonding. Hope you loved it :3 Come to think of it, there will be more in the future. Isn't a crabby InuYasha sexy? LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**TheRealInuyasha**:That's right - I know who you are. Ja. I don't know anyone else who's a guest and uses the word Ja in a sentence. Aren't I smart? XD Thanks for reviewing :3

**Chapter 18**

The air felt cool and crispy, unlike the air that Rin was used to breathing. There was something about it that Rin couldn't place..

Rin was used to travelling other parts of the world and the air that came along with it; which made it all the more easier for her to realize that she was not at her house. With her horrid foster family. To be technical though, the reason why she loved travelling so much was because she found a place to escape to from her demanding family: they weren't physically abusive with her or anything. They just expected much more out of her than what Rin would be willing to show. Sometimes, it was too much for her to handle - and it led her to start thinking about what she was going to do after school.

Rin also noticed that her throat was dry and parched. It was like she was living through the desert, but she wasn't feeling the heat. In fact, Rin knew she was in a cold room somewhere.. Her head was throbbing but it wasn't a migraine.

Rin slowly opened her eyes, and when she did, she saw herself lying down in a king-sized bed covered in snow-white sheets. Considering that the whole room was dark, the only light theme were the bed accessories. The pillows that rested her head were fluffed and satisfactory.. Rin never felt anything this soft in her life. It felt plain good against her body, which had been used to less than comfortable articles of protective materials (for instance, at the orphanarium where she grew up in her childhood).

But Rin did not recognize this room at all. She bit her lip in worry as she took another look around. Just where was she? Rin definitely knew that she was not at any of her friend's places. She considered getting up and looking around, but she knew that she would get lost in no time. If there was anything that she hated in life, it was getting lost. She hated being alone, though, more than anything else. Rin cherished her friends; they were a huge part of her life. She couldn't imagine spending life without them.. they made her life feel complete. They made her feel accepted and cherished. They made her feel happy.

Rin sighed heavilly, trying not to feel frustrated. How did this happen to her? What was the last thing that she remembered?

Rin closed her eyes temporarily, deciding to re-live the memory...

That one night, she was going on a walk. She had another mind-blowing fight with her foster parents and it took all of her strength to get out of the house. Rin was so furious that going on a walk seemed like the only thing that could calm her down.

Then, she bumped into this one man.. whose aura was unpure. The man was no doubt creepy and his intentions were obviously less than honourable. Rin wasn't exactly scared at the time, but in truth, she could have been. She knew what she could have done to get herself out of that tricky situation. Just call out 'fire, fire!' and people would come rushing to help. Rin had learned that if you just screamed out 'rape', no one would bother showing up. It was better to think smart than play dumb.

But this one guy thought that she was.. Rin had to admit, the other man - much taller in appearance - was absolutely arrogant. She could tell by his appearance. Never before had she ever seen golden eyes.. never before Rin had seen magenta markings on his cheeks. Hell, she hadn't even seen those pointy ears before. Which obviously meant that he was a cosplayer, or he was not human. Rin had a feeling that this man wasn't human..

She couldn't help but blush; yes, she had a little hero-crush going on.. but it wasn't like it was going to be more than that! When he stared at her.. it was like he despised her. It was like he thought she was.. ugly or something. She still helped him - regardless. The other man, as cruel as he was, injured him. Rin hated it when fists were flying around; violence never solved anything. It only made things worse in the world...

But she couldn't think about that man right now..

What she really needed to concentrate was going back home.. where she belonged.

Whoever brought her back here, they did the right thing, instead of leaving her out on the street. Rin would extend her gratitude in the nicest way possible.. but there was no one around. Again, Rin hated the fact that she was alone.

Her heartbeat started to increase, causing her to breathe quicker than usual. Rin shook her head. She had to calm down.. When Rin found herself in situations, such as this for example, she'd start having panic attacks. It was quite common for her, since there were a lot of times when she found herself alone.

"Silence girl. Your incessant breathing is annoying this Sesshomaru."

Rin widened her eyes, as she heard the familiar cool, velvet smooth, voice - that held no emotion whatsoever - talk to her. She looked around, trying to find him; she knew that her vision was not always the best each time she woke up in the morning. But once Rin did focus her vision, she saw him. Her savior. Her guardian angel.. sitting pin-straight across the room.. with cold, heartless crysal eyes.. He was in a simple tux and tie, with his hair cascading down his shoulders. She couldn't help but stare in awe.. she had not met anyone with hair that long before. But this man.. he was not human. She had to say that he was very, very, attractive and it took much of her strength to not drool.

"Where am I?" She couldn't help but mutter, her voice filled with confusion. She was confused; why would this man - who looked as though he hated her - bring her to his abode? What were his motives? What did he want from her?

"This Sesshomaru's house." That was all he said; not once did he attempt to give her an explanation. Which made it all the more uncomfortable for Rin to be there in the first place.

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, was in a heated debate with his inner beast. Why.. why did he bring home a human girl? He detested humans, that much was clear. When he was injured, and she attempted to help him, he did not hesitate into bringing the unconscious girl back to his home.. Humans were nothing but insolent, pathetic creatures with no morals. But this girl.. there was something about her that made him think otherwise.

"What do you want with me?" Rin asked, but her tone of voice suggested that it was more of a demand. "What did you do to me?" Rin blushed, her mind already thinking the worst.

"This Sesshomaru had no intentions of fornicating a human. He is a better man than that." And with that, with nothing else added, he left the room.

Rin could tell that he was telling the truth - but.. why would he bring her here? What reason could he have for kidnapping her? Why didn't he leave her out on the street if she was that despicable?

Rin knew that this man was complicated and complex. He had a master poker face on - she didn't think that anyone would find it incredibly easy to read him..

As much as she wanted to hate him for disrespecting her like that.. she had to admire him; she dissected his words carefully. Did he mean that he would never stoop so low to force himself on a woman? That was probably what he meant - and Rin had to respect him for it.

But now, she had no clue what she was going to do next.

**:3 :3 :3**

Going to school that morning was second nature to Kagome. It was like it wasn't even important compared to the things that InuYasha shared with her the previous day.

She wasn't even going to lie when she said that she would rather be at the lab to ask him more questions; he finally started opening up to her.. that was a good enough reason to keep on going with life.

But skipping school meant answering to her mom; she knew that even her sweet, caring mother wouldn't let something like that slip past her defenses. So, Kagome had to go to school. It was almost over anyway, right? But it also meant final exams. That was definitely going to be a pain.

If Kagome's calculations were correct, final exams were going to be in a month and a half from now. And she didn't even start to study!

This was the worst time for InuYasha to start trusting her; if he gave into her charms for another two months.. Kagome wouldn't even have this problem. But at the same time, she knew that she would buckle under the arguments that he'd start piling up on her for that time period. She wouldn't be able to handle that either.

Kagome was planning to stay at least two hours after school to start getting on track. She had to actually think about her future. She didn't want to disappoint her family..

School, all in all, wasn't really that bad. She managed to understand what the teachers were trying to make the students learn, even though the homework load was going to start piling up by the end of the month. Which meant that she had to start transfering her focus to InuYasha from fifty percent to twenty percent. Kagome knew that he would be the least of her worries.

"Hey Kagome," Hojo walked to her desk, as she was gathering up her books. The bell rang and it was now the end of the school day for the students.

"Hi Hojo," Kagome greeted.

"I was hoping if we were still on for Saturday," Hojo laughed sheepishly. Kagome knew that he was hoping for a lot more than that.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Kagome tilted her head to the side, as she asked him this both curiously and confusedly.

"No worries. Well, I'll see you later, Kagome."

"Bye."

Even though it felt kind of good that Hojo was starting to talk to her again, Kagome couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. It didn't matter if their outing on Saturday went fairly well.. it wouldn't fix their torn relationship. It wasn't really torn, but it had become more awkward than anything else.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome scoffed, currently retorting at her earlier statement of her spending time at the library for two hours. Right. It turned out, that she spent a lot more than two hours: it was already seven o'clock. Not only did she feel like her brain was about to explode, she was tired and hungry as well. Kagome didn't even know if she was going to make it to the lab that night.. but even if she couldn't, at least she had accomplished a lot earlier that day. But even studying stressed her out to the max. All that Kagome needed was a nice hot bath, a satisfying meal and a soft bed to sleep on. Then she would be ready the next day.

As much as she wanted to concentrate on her studies at the moment, she had been thinking mostly about Hojo.

She was somewhat glad that he wanted to re-start their friendship again.. and she was once again plagued about the motives behind it. Surely there wasn't a reason that he had started talking to her now? Ugh.. not to mention the fact that she was starting to re-consider going to a movie with him. She didn't know why though.. why was it that her conscience wanted to interfere with her social life?

Suddenly, without any warning, a memory of InuYasha.. complimenting her rushed through her very eyes. She widened them; why was she thinking about InuYasha now? She knew that she was attracted to him... but did she picture him as her future boyfriend? All Kagome knew was that she was not interested in Hojo romantically.

_In other words, you do want him, _Kagome's conscience cackled arrogantly in her mind.

What was she going to do now?

She had three guys in her life that were interested in her.. well, two of them were anyway. Kagome didn't even want to know how InuYasha felt about her. Even if he was being nice and sweet to her at one time. He may not even show her that side of himself again. Which meant that Kagome was left to enjoying that one brief moment of time for the rest of her life.

The thing about staying late after school was that you would never know what kind of people roam these streets endlessly. It meant that Kagome should have callen for a ride home by Sango or her mom. You'd think that Kagome would do so, only to find out that she didn't own a cell phone.

As Kagome walked down the worn-out sidewalk, stepped upon by thousands of people, she didn't notice another presence nearby. At first.

But then she felt it. For some reason, she thought that it was an evil aura.. someone with less than honourable intentions.

She stopped - looking all around her to try and find the person who was stalking her. Great. The last thing she needed was some person tailing her like she was an attractive goddess.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Kagome called out confidently, but really, she was tempted to freak out. Needless to say, the only thing that she could do right now was putting on a brave front.

A dark, creepy chuckle rang out and a shadow walked in front of her - revealing its appearance. Shivers cascaded down Kagome's back - as she took a good, hard look at her stalker.

He had snowy-white hair, pale skin, lavender eyes and a bloodthirsty expression planted on his face. He licked his lips. "You, my dear, have balls." At that, he laughed again.

Kagome tried hard not to appear frightened or creeped out. "What do you want with me?"

"I do not ask anything from you. You just look delicious enough to eat.."

Kagome widened her eyes, suddenly realizing what he was. He was a demon - of course he wasn't human.. he didn't behave as such, obviously and the aura cloaking him was tainted with darkness. "Stay away from me."

Then she started running; what she didn't realize was that she started the chase.

Kagome told herself multiple times that she could not stop - and she couldn't look back either. She just had to hurry home.. she just wanted to forget that this encounter ever happened.

But time seemed to slow Kagome down.. her heart pounded against her chest - even quicker than what she anticipated.

Next thing she knew, she felt.. something resembling claws penetrate her skin. Kagome tried to leap out of the way, but that only resulted in his claws scraping down her shoulder, toward her elbow. Kagome yelped in pain as she tripped on a rock and fell to the ground.

"Now you're mine!" The demon screamed.. jumping toward her to finish the job.

But what appeared to be a boomerang - a giant one at that - had other plans. It cut the demon in half, and retracted back to its owner. Kagome looked up to see the owner was.. Sango. She widened her eyes in shock and was easily confused. What.. what was Sango doing here?

The demon cursed (regenerating as he did so)- obviously angered that he was unable to devour the girl. He disappeared quickly, before he got himself killed by the demon slayer.

"Sango?" Kagome blinked, making sure this was not a dream.

She noticed the guilt in her friend's chocolate brown eyes.. she could sense the small amount of distress rising within her. Sango came to her friend's side, and offered her a hand. Kagome accepted her help.

Once Kagome stood up, there was an eery silence. Neither Kagome or Sango spoke for a while.. before Sango decided to ask , "Are you alright, Kagome?" But that was a foolish question to ask at a time like this. Sango's eyes fled to her shoulder, where it was seeping blood through her school uniform shirt.

"Sango.. what happened? Why are you dressed like that?" Kagome ignored Sango's question.

"It... I wanted to explain, Kagome. I just didn't know how to."

Kagome then realized she should have no right to demand questions from her; after all, she kept her own secret from Sango for a while.. Kagome shook her head. "No. It's alright. I kept a secret from you and didn't tell you."

"I had no intentions of letting you find out about what I do this way, Kagome. For the way of my people, I cannot speak to anyone about this."

"So you are..."

"A demon slayer."

Kagome couldn't help but shudder. "Do not look at me like that. Please, Kagome. I do this to protect the people."

Kagome touched Sango's shoulder, trying to reassure her. "I'm not judging you, Sango." She was about to say something more.. but then she felt agony. Complete pain in her shoulder prevented her from moving.. It hurt too much to even try to.

"Kagome!" Sango called out, her voice filled with concern.

But Kagome did not listen. She literally couldn't. Her eyes closed.. giving into the darkness.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I hope you guys liked this chapter! Now that Kagome knows Sango slays demons for a living... what is she to do now? **

**You'll find out later on :3 As well as how InuYasha will take the news that she's injured... **

**Please, give me your opinion - I'd really like to know what you think!**


	20. Love Is No Simple Feat

**Really? I only get two reviews this time around? Oh well.. I shouldn't complain! XD**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Can you blame the poor girl for feeling paranoid? Sesshomaru, why did you have to bring her to your house? No wonder the girl thinks you're out to get her.. And I'm pretty sure that Kagome told Sango about InuYasha.. and Sango wants to meet him. Thanks for reviewing!

**Warm-Amber92**: To be honest, I was watching Taken (it has Liam Neeson in it) and my dad told me this information. Who knew you would learn about THAT in psychology? XD I've looked up creeper shoes on Google and I have to tell ya, that they don't look half bad XD Yes, I love the pink ones :3 Thanks for reviewing!

**Chapter 19**

When Kagome was brought back to her house with Sango's assistance, Sakura was shell-shocked. Her baby girl was unconscious and she was injured; she had every right to be concerned about what happened to her. She went through every emotion possible as Sango helped her clean up the wound; Sakura felt helpless, worried, and angry. Angry that someone did this to her daughter and angry also because Kagome had to stay at the library. But could she really put the blame on her daughter? She couldn't; she was her only chid. She had to be responsible for her up until she finished school. Until she would create a life of her own.. All Sakura really wanted was her daughter to be happy.

Sakura was still in heavy shock, as she sat by Kagome's bed, clasping her hands tightly together and a leg crossed over the other. She wasn't crying, but her eyes were irritating her. Her heartbeat increased vapidly and intensely - like Kagome would never have a chance of waking up.

Her first instinct was to take Kagome to the hospital; as much as she wanted to do that, she knew she wouldn't be prepared to be asked dozens of questions. Even after years of her husband's death, she still didn't have it in her to go there. So Sakura and Sango wrapped it up, seeing that was the only legitimate thing to do at the time. It was the only thing to do.

Sango told Sakura about what happened; a ferocious demon attacked Kagome but only managed to scratch her shoulder. Sango chased it off - intending to kill it, but with an injured friend, she couldn't go.

Again, Sakura wasn't that surprised that demons existed but she was shocked they would try and attack Kagome.

Ever since Kagome had decided to accept her father's legacy that he left for her, there was no one after her. At least, that was what Sakura had been told. But then, another thought occurred to her: what if Kagome wasn't telling her the whole story? That thought remained in her mind until she decided to acknowledge it.

Sakura did not want to be a prying parent - she respected Kagome's privacy. Yet.. she wanted her to confide in her; she didn't want to be distant from Kagome. And should Kagome have any reason to drift apart from her mother? They loved each other - they were family.

Yet, there were secrets that nearly tore them apart.. secrets that Sakura wanted to protect Kagome from. There were more buried secrets that would affect Kagome a lot more than the one involving her father and InuYasha.

But now was not the time to start worrying about such things. The only thing that mattered right now was her daughter's welfare. Something that most good mothers would worry about.

"Mom?" Kagome asked, her voice sounding husky and dry. She rubbed her eyes repeatedly - wondering if she had woken up or if she was back in the unconscious, bland state. Kagome tried to swallow, but her throat was sore and it took much of her strength to ignore it. Along with the faint throbbing of her head.

Kagome didn't know how long she was out, but she sure remembered what happened. She knew that she was staying extra late at the library so she decided to high-tail it out of there. She knew that walking in the dark was a bad idea, but no taxis or buses were in the area. She knew that she was vulnerable to any predator stalking around at night - especially in that area, but she took the chance. Unfortunately, she should have called her mother, but again - Kagome did not own a cell phone. Kagome remembered who had attacked her - it was a demon; albeit, he looked albino, but he had the most.. unusual purple eyes. They weren't that scary as much as they were creepy. She was lucky she hadn't been killed: after all, the demon merely scratched her. Kagome hadn't felt so frightened in her life at the time; no one ever tried to kill her. She had never been attacked by a demon before.. now she knew that they existed and what they were capable of. Which led her to severely thinking; what if there were demons who were a lot stronger than that? Hopefully, Kagome would never live to see the day if that happened. Kagome knew that she had Sango by her side at least.

It was shocking that Sango was a demon slayer - who had survived the warren states period. She was a tiny bit shocked when she saw her totally fearless around that demon.. it was like it was her destiny to eradicate any demon that dared to walk in her path. Granted that she didn't kill that demon, Kagome didn't think that Sango would have let it go alive. The only thing that stopped her from killing it.. was her.

In truth, Kagome wasn't really mad that Sango hid this secret from her. She was in the same boat; she kept her family legacy a secret from Sango, as long as she was able to. Of course she would understand what Sango had to do; demon slayers, well in legends anyway, were known to be pretty discreet and low-key. Unless they were asked to do this job, they weren't that notorious. If people knew that families like Sango's existed, there would be next to no hesitation to ask her to rid their city of demons. But it wasn't like humans could detect demons. If demons were truly smart, they would have found a way to survive in these modern times without any fear or discrimination. Then there were demons who liked to come out at night - as Kagome found out.

"Kagome, how are you feeling?" Sakura asked gently, as her eyes began to tear up with joy and relief.

Kagome couldn't help but smile back at her mother; she was glad that she had someone to look after her. Granted Sango was like family to her.. she was glad that she had blood-family. She knew her grandmother Kaede was out there, but she hadn't heard from her. She also had Koga.. whom she had yet to call back. She groaned mentally; how could she think about Koga at a time like this? Sure, he was her friend, but on his mind.. he had a lot more than friendship. But he was sure persistant and headstrong. Another thought came to mind; he was extremely protective. If he found about her attack, there was no doubt that he'd come to express his love and to vow to her that he would protect her. If Kagome was not interested in anyone else, she would have found that sweet. In fact, she still did, but those words were coming out of the wrong lips.

Kagome blushed at that last thought. She had to admit - she would rather hear them from InuYasha. But really - what was a girl to do? It wasn't like he was the type to proclaim that sort of thing. He was far too... rash. But she liked that. Not to mention that he was full of surprises. Kagome remembered that one conversation that she had with him; when he was severely injured. He.. wasn't as brutal as he usually was when he was talking to her.

_"Kagome... you smell sweet."_ She had never been complimented on her scent - unless it was Koga. When she heard those words from InuYasha, she.. she couldn't help but feel cherished. She knew that InuYasha truly meant what he said. How could he lie to her? If he was not being nice to her, then yes, she'd figure that out. But the ONE time that InuYasha decided to be nice to her - he complimented her. She felt like he was serenading her and it totally worked.

But what did make them closer was that he opened up to her about his past. At least, a little bit of it. The reason why he was so angry.. and so reckless was the fact that he was insecure about his heritage; he thought that being a half-demon was a disgrace. No one really cared about him. This was what caused Kagome to be more lenient with him. He needed someone to care for him: he was in so much pain and he suffered so much. Well, Kagome knew for certain that she would never treat him like that. Regardless of race, regardless of colour.

"Kagome?"

"Sorry Mom, just thinking." Kagome shook her head; deciding to put her thoughts about InuYasha on hold. How could she think of him now? There were a million other things she should figure out. But InuYasha, apparently, was persistant - even in her mind. To be honest, she would rather be thinking about him than anything else. Gee, that totally does not sound selfless.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, even though she was somewhat relieved about Kagome waking up again.

"Yeah," Kagome said, but it sounded like she was being transported back into a daydream again. "What time is it? How long was I out?" Kagome asked curiously.

Sakura bit her lip. "You haven't been out for very long, Kagome. It's only been an hour."

Kagome blinked. "Only an hour?"

"It's strange, really. When you've been sleeping, you looked like you were in pain."

Kagome was pretty selfless: she'd usually think about other people before herself (not including the duration of grieving over her dad's death). Having her mother worry about her, it did not sit well with her. She wasn't one to draw attention to herself, and it made herself feel so guilty when her mother had to give up her own joys in life just to make sure that Kagome was okay. She knew herself first hand that she was a strong girl. No question about it. She could handle herself at school, but when it came to certain matters.. she didn't know what to make of them. But how strong was she when it came to her most inner core? She was self-conscious about herself at times.. maybe even belittling herself sometimes. But her mom was there to help her self-confidence rise to an all time high - even during the time of the grieving process. She was a good mother.

"But what's strange about that?"

Sakura shook her head. "At times, I thought I heard you speaking. You never used to do that."

"Did you hear what I said?"

"You spoke InuYasha's name a couple of times."

Kagome couldn't help but flush in embarrassment; if she didn't constantly think of him, then saying his NAME in her sleep would most likely be the most obvious sign that she was into him. As well as the rosy blush on her cheeks.

Sakura knew then, just from judging her reaction, that she had some feelings for him. Sakura didn't know much about InuYasha - only that he was only half human. But she didn't judge him on that, even if they hadn't met. It seemed as though Kagome had inherited that from her. Sakura had raised her not to judge anyone based on their sexuality, their gender, their race, their skin colour. Those values made up a small part of Kagome's morals. What she believed was right. Sakura would always love Kagome for who she was, but she was glad that Kagome didn't change anything about herself. It seemed as though she had raised the perfect daughter, though there were instances in their lives when anything was far from being perfect.

"Well, I suppose I should let you rest."

Kagome blinked. "Rest?"

Sakura replied, "Yes. Rest. You have been through a lot tonight. You can go and see InuYasha tomorrow." She didn't think that her daughter would dare try to argue with her. There was only so much that Kagome could encounter before giving up reluctantly.

"Okay," Kagome sighed. "I suppose he could wait." But the next thought crossed her mind - that he was obviously expecting her. Would he be angry that she didn't show up? Or would he be happy that she wasn't giving him a headache for once? Kagome hated to think that the latter would be more realistic. There was a possibility she'd be disappointed that InuYasha hated her. How could he hate her? Why would he? Again, maybe he didn't trust her just yet. If that was true, then how come he told her about himself? Was InuYasha expecting her to judge him, like everyone else? Did he believe that she would be like the prosecutors that set his fate? Kagome would prove to him that she was not out to get him. She would accept him - even if there would be a lot of arguments in the upcoming future. Of course she didn't mind those fights - it just pushed her to the extreme: just made her want to get her point across all the more trying to.

"Good night, Kagome."

"Love you, Mom."

"Love you too."

And so, Sakura flipped off the switch - the lights immediately darkening. There was a time when Kagome was afraid of the dark, but Kagome moved on from that. She remembered how she used to feel back in her childhood.. when her dad died. It was like all hope flickered before dying out for good. That was what she compared to the lights at nighttime. It'd be logical to think that'd be the reason...

Her heart pounded against her chest, more like a beating, steady drum rather than like a bird in flight. She had enough excitement for the night. Maybe the next day at school would take her mind off things. But even that would be impossible: InuYasha just wanted to occupy her thoughts. Obviously, Kagome had no problem with that.

**:3 :3 :3**

School turned out to be okay the next day, but it could have gone a little better.

Most of the day consisted of getting the overall review for the final exams, which were coming soon. To be honest, Kagome couldn't wait until school was over. She didn't mind school - not at all, but for once, Kagome had the urge to simply relax. For once, she considered going to the spa with her mom - which was rumoured to be one of the most popular in Japan. For once, she'd actually like to think about what she was going to do in university; which she still planned to attend somehow.

Which led her to think about InuYasha, which was not a surprise.

She wondered if she'd ever finish her progress with him by the time fall came around. If she didn't.. that would be a problem. Kagome knew one would have to have common sense to figure out that it would not work out; how could she concentrate on college classes - which were likely to be VERY difficult - if she had a man with a temper that could match her own to look after? Granted, she was not his babysitter, but that was the closest term that she could think of that could describe their relationship.

Eventually she had to choose between InuYasha and university. In truth, that was very hard. Not that she was planning to make the decision now. Why should she? All Kagome should do right now was study for her finals, ace them, and just.. finish off applying. She started back in January, which was probably the best time to do it, granted that she had been busy thereafter.

But choosing between InuYasha and finishing her education was like saying she had to choose what was better: Coka-Cola or Pepsi. It was like saying who she'd rather hang out with - Sango or Rin. That last one was probably the best simile to compare.

In other words.. love? Or education?

Kagome blinked. She admitted to herself that she liked him, but she did not love him.

She liked his golden eyes.

She liked his cute puppy ears resting on top of his head.

She liked his silver hair.

She liked his attitude.

Was this more than a simple crush? Kagome hated forcing herself to deciding this now.

But what if she did love him? Her heart beat fluttered. A small rosey red blush painted her cheeks. If that was not any indication that she loved InuYasha.. she didn't know what was.

"Kagome? Are you okay?"

It was currently the end of the day, and Kagome was waiting by the basketball courts to walk with Sango. Speaking of the devil...

"Hey," Kagome greeted her best friend, who was walking closer toward her direction.

"Hey yourself," Sango replied, giving her friend a small smile. "About last night -"

"Don't worry about it. I'm good as new," Kagome grinned, as she convinced Sango that she was not lying to her. It was true though - Kagome wouldn't lie to Sango. (Excluding the fact that she hid her family secret from her) For now on, at least. Because Sango proved that she could be trusted with family issues. There was no one else that Kagome would tell.. even though Rin was her friend, telling her would only end up having her spill it out to the rest of the school.

Kagome widened her eyes, just realizing that Rin was not at school again. So much for being a worried friend. "Hey Sango, Rin wasn't at school again."

Sango nodded. "No one has heard from her."

Kagome bit her lip. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Let's hope so."

And with that, the two girls walked back to their respective houses with a mutual understanding. And an agreement. Both of them would try to call Rin - to see what was happening. Kagome's scar was not her concern at the moment - even if it was starting to open up again.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Lame ending, right? Well, I hope I'll make up for it in the next chappie :3 **

**It has InuKag in it, people! So do please review - I want to know what you think :D**


	21. An Unexpected Confession

**Here's chapter 20 for you people! Just note I put a lot of hard work into this.. hope you enjoy! ^_^ Yes, it has InuKag in it: don't twist your panties. LOL! XD**

**Warm-Amber92**: Trust me: you do NOT want to miss this chapter! It pretty much explains itself, so I'm not going to go into anything more. LOL.

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Kagome won't be tugged in different directions for much longer; she'll only be tugged in ONE DIRECTION! XD Like that pun? Isn't it funny? LOLZ. Anyways, Sesshomaru is indeed scheming something. Either that or he's just confused about whether if she's the reincarnation of his.. I've said too much! thanks for reviewing :3

**Guest**: First of all, I'm flattered; not many people call and ask me for help about that sort of thing. The only motivation that I have is watching the anime InuYasha, listen to deep, emotional music or I read other fanfic stories. Does that help?

**TheRealInuyasha**: Same here - believe it or not, I had a Coke addiction and that led to like, seven cavities on my teeth. LOL. Thanks for reviewing, ja!

**Chapter 20**

That day, Kagome decided that Sango should meet InuYasha; she wasn't procrastinating in the slightest, but it wasn't intentional. How could it be intentional if Kagome had a thousand and one things to do? Studying for final exams was the perfect excuse - no one would question that in the slightest. After all, her high school took education seriously; students were supposed to have amazing lives after they graduate even if they worked at a local business or interning at the local library.

So Kagome wasn't sure what to feel when Sango told her that she had other plans; it was a mixture of 'thank god - it can be another day' and 'really?'. Either way though, when the day came for Sango to meet her 'study buddy', Kagome wouldn't feel any less nervous.

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow - her left one - as an aftereffect.

The two girls were currently at Wacdonald's eating cheeseburgers and drinking milkshakes. Kagome's treat of course, for thanking Sango for saving her life. But Kagome would have done the same thing - as Sango pointed out. It wouldn't exactly happen in the foreseeable future, in Kagome's opinion, but both of them knew that she would return the favour.

Sango took a large gulp from her chocolate milkshake, before answering. "Well, something's come up."

Kagome leaned in closer. "You don't have to hide anything from me anymore. I know that you're a demon slayer. No big deal." She shrugged her shoulders.

Sango shook her head almost right after Kagome finished her sentence. "No, it's not that. It's something else." It didn't take much to figure out that she was talking about her love life; seeing that the pink flush on her cheeks was an indicator of that.

Kagome smirked, her chocolate eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're going on a date with Miroku, aren't you?"

Sango's pink flush turned into an embarrassing, crimson colour. She tried to avoid her friend's teasing eyes, and Sango felt warm and doozy inside. "I.. guess," Sango stated quietly.

"So when did this happen?" Kagome asked curiously, before eating a huge chunk out of her burger.

"A couple days ago."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And what?"

"No, no, no. You are not going to drop a bomb like that and cover it up! Tell me - how did he manage to ask you out?"

Considering that Sango and Kagome didn't have talks like this very often, Sango supposed that Kagome should know; keeping secrets from her never worked out. Just look what happened between the two of them recently. Though it brought them closer than ever, it didn't mean that either of them would be trying that stunt again.

"I don't know, okay? It just sort of happened. It was at school, he looked at me." Sango still didn't forget the way his violet eyes sparkled with adoration.. It was enough for her to keep herself in a daze for a few moments before continuing. "He never looked at me that way before."

"What way?"

"Like he loves me."

"Maybe he just figured out his feelings for you."

If Kagome knew about the night when she had to leave, for a demon was running around and needed to be slain, and that she had encountered Naraku, as well as meeting up with Miroku.. she knew she wouldn't hear the end of it. Especially the part of her hiding the fact that Naraku.. did things to her. Compared to that, the intimate yet romantic moment between her and Miroku was not important. But if that was true, then how come she hadn't told Kagome yet? Just another dilemna for Sango to solve sometime soon.

Sango sighed, somewhat discontent with herself. "I hope that's true. I don't think I can take anymore heartbreak."

Kagome looked puzzled. "What makes you think-"

"You don't even know the guy, Kagome. He's a man with no other agenda than to ask women to bear his children. I don't think I'm any different."

"So.. you're going on the date because..."

"Just to figure out if he.. supposedly has feelings for me."

"Trust me, Sango, he does."

"How would you know?"

"It's not exactly like my love life is any different. Or any better than yours."

Sango couldn't help but smirk; talking about Miroku made her all the more.. nervous for their upcoming date. But if she talked about Kagome's new love interest - which was InuYasha (who she had yet to meet) - maybe she would cheer up. Maybe she would get Kagome to confess her feelings.

"How do you feel about InuYasha?"

Kagome's blush appeared far quicker than Sango's. "Come on, Sango, that's hardly fair," she protested, her exterior posture tensing up as she heard his name being spoken out loud. She had to admit, that she loved hearing his name.. InuYasha... Kagome shook her head - she shouldn't even be thinking about him right now, but she was. Thanks to Sango's insistance.

"How? Hey, I 'fessed up about Miroku. I want to hear about Mr. Bad Boy," Sango chuckled, taking another sip of her milkshake.

Kagome hated to think it, but she had to agree with Sango. She admitted to herself that she had the urge to talk about InuYasha to someone, just to vent off her frustrations. But when she said 'frustrations', she really meant something else entirely. It wasn't like Kagome could keep this a secret anymore, because people would just get the idea anyway. Sango would be the first person to tell at this point.

"When we last talked, he was actually being nice."

Sango nearly spat out her milkshake, and she had to clutch her boobs to prevent them from popping out. "What?"

"But there's a perfectly good explanation for that. He was seriously injured; I couldn't help but go to him." There were no words to describe how worried Kagome was when she first saw him lying there.

"What made you so compassionate to be by his side?" Sango blinked. Last time when Kagome told her about InuYasha, she was seriously raging out all her anger she held up - and it was toward him. She told her that he was rude and obnoxious. But now, it seemed like Kagome had changed her heart. She obviously saw another side of him.

"I had a dream several days ago. Let's just say, it made me re-think some things." Kagome mentally shuddered; continuing to think about that nightmare was like living it. She had been afraid.. that it would become reality; Kagome knew that she would never let that happen to InuYasha again. It was all for his own sake.

"The point is, he was half-whipped to death. I couldn't leave him alone."

"I'm guessing that you healed him too?" Sango wouldn't be surprised if Kagome did; she cared for other people more than she did about her welfare.

"Stupid lab didn't have any bandages. I had to make do with my shirt."

Sango widened her eyes in disbelief. "You didn't-"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's not what you think. I didn't give the guy a peepshow for crying out loud. The most I showed was my stomach, but that was about it."

"So.. then what happened?"

"He laid his head on my lap -" Sango raised her eyebrows skeptically, as though she were silently questioning Kagome's story so far. Kagome ignored that look. "and he said I smelled.. pretty." Kagome's eyes wandered elsewhere, away from Sango's hues. "Then we started talking about about him. Or at least, a little bit."

"How much did he tell you?"

"All I know is that he hates who he has become; he never liked being half-demon. No one ever accepted him." If that wasn't an indicator of a tear-jerking moment, Kagome didn't know what was. It was enough for her to feel overly emotional and sympathetic toward him at that moment, but not enough to cry in public. Kagome wasn't that desperate to show her feelings like that.

_That's probably what made her change her opinion of him, _Sango thought to herself. But she still assumed that Kagome thought that he was a jerk; she knew Kagome better than that. She never changed her tune about someone unless there was good reason to; in this case, it was different. Because he showed one sweet side to her, it probably wasn't enough for her to instantly think that he would forever treat her that way. But Kagome was on her way to falling hard for this guy.. or maybe she already was.

"What else did you guys talk about?" Sango asked, leaning her chin to lay upon her hand - in a physical motion that appeared that she was signalling Kagome to continue with her story.

"That was it."

"I suppose that's a start. I'm guessing that he's not that close to trusting you with his full story?"

"I haven't seen him yet. I was going to go last night, but.. you know the rest."

Sango smirked. "I see - you're probably thinking that he must have been worried about you."

Kagome shook her head. "I don't think that he would be. I think I just give him a headache from time to time; he'd probably be glad that I didn't show up."

"Really? You're just going to believe that?"

"You haven't met the guy, Sango. He wouldn't just say 'I'm worried about you". He'd just say "I don't care"."

"Honestly, Kagome, you just told me that InuYasha was being nice to you; what makes you think that he'd not treat you like that again?"

Sango had a point; that was probably the last time that Kagome had seen him - when he was seriously injured. Maybe he would be nice to her.. maybe he would be concerned about her welfare. She just had to test that theory out. "I guess I can go tonight."

"How's your scar doing?"

"It isn't that bad, but sometimes, it just opens up again. It's like it never stops bleeding. It's annoying."

"Well demon injuries tend to be more like that compared to human cuts."

"I wish last night never happened," Kagome groaned. "Sometimes I just think it's a bad dream."

Sango laid a hand on top of Kagome's, supportingly. "It's going to be okay, Kagome. I'm here for you."

"Thanks. Now.. shouldn't you be getting ready for that date?" Kagome winked, feeling quite pleased that she managed to get another blush from her friend. It wasn't as red as before, but it still counted.

"See you later, Kags."

"You have to tell me every detail."

Sango chuckled. "Okay, okay. As long as you tell me what happens with Mr. Bad Boy."

"Promise."

**:3 :3 :3**

When she reached the downstairs compartment to the lab she was assigned to - also the one where InuYasha was kept - Kagome felt a plethora of emotions running through her mind. Anxiety. Fear. A lack of self-esteem, for a better term to put it.

Kagome sighed; she didn't know why she was thinking these sorts of thoughts. Why she had to be nervous was beyond her.. but could anyone blame her?

She had to snap out of it - she had only seen InuYasha two or three days ago; but to Kagome, it felt like she hadn't seen him for more than that. Was this separation anxiety?

_Focus Kagome! You can do this!_ she chanted loudly in her mind to wipe away any thoughts of doubt, or thoughts that resembled that.

Kagome placed her hand, which was trembling self-consciously, on the doorknob. She tapped in the combination - which was necessary to get into the room - in the mini-monitor that was placed in the centre of the door. Thank goodness it was an easy combination to remember. You'd think that it would have been a complicated one, but it didn't seem that way to Kagome.

When she opened the door, she taught herself to not look in InuYasha's direction until she was in the same vicinity as him. It was difficult trying to attempt that, but it had to be done. She didn't want to make things any more awkward.. if awkward was the term that was appropriate in this case.

So Kagome did manage to tear her gaze somewhere else, rather than focus it on the grumpy half-demon from beyond the glass wall. Would she be comfortable in the same room as him? Especially after what happened the last time? Kagome knew she could handle it; after all, she could certainly take on an argument - that so happened to be started by the rash InuYasha.

She could feel his heated eyes stare at her with intensity, but she chanted the same mantra from earlier multiple times so she couldn't give into sneaking a peak. Of course he was handsome - there was no doubt about that, but checking him out now was not something she intended to do.

No words were said yet, as Kagome locked the door from behind her. He was still gawking at her, and it did make her feel a little uncomfortable. She tensed up immediately, before turning around to meet the honey hues which belonged to InuYasha.

It took a lot of strength to not blush like an idiot. Instead, she cooly returned his gaze with confidence that Kagome didn't have until now.

She sat down close, but not too close from the half-demon that narrowed his eyes. He was sitting indian-style, with his arms crossed and hidden underneath the gawdy red outfit that he wore, and his legs were in the same position, only she could see his feet. Kagome blinked, seeing that he had human toes. Not that was a bad thing..

"If you got something to say to me, then just say it!" InuYasha's crude voice snapped her out of her reverie.

Kagome's eyes went straight to stare into his. "You've got some nerve, talking to me like that."

"So what if I do?"

"I can't believe this! Why are you trying to pick a fight with me? It's not like my throat can take all of this, you know!" Kagome screeched.

"I can't believe you have the balls to come back here at all! What were you doing? Sleeping?" InuYasha shouted back.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Oh gee, how very kind of you to worry about me."

"I wouldn't worry about you! In fact, I was perfectly happy that you were gone!"

Kagome would have retorted a comeback which was just as hurtful as that one, if she didn't notice the 'was' he used in his sentence. She moved closer to him. "What do you mean by was?"

InuYasha also moved closer to her. "Exactly what I said before!"

Before Kagome knew what was coming out of her mouth, she said this: "So you would be happy to know if a demon attacked me? Would you accept that as a reason why I didn't show up?"

InuYasha was silent. His lips were pressed into a thin line; his crysal eyes lost a little of its harshness, as he looked at her.. Kagome blinked; did she.. did she see hurt in his eyes? She didn't expect him to react like that. Then again, she didn't see the nice conversation they shared a few days ago ever happening.. did InuYasha always surpise her?

Since it was apparent that he wasn't going to say anything, Kagome had to take this into her own hands. "If you don't believe me, maybe I should just show you," Kagome mumbled.

She took off her cashmere jacket, turned around so InuYasha wouldn't see her embarrassed blush, and pulled down one strap of her sphagetti baby tee, so he could get a close look at the souvenier she was less than pleased to receive. It wasn't exactly healed, but one could tell that it wasn't as bad as before; yet it would be a while for it to completely heal. From what her mom told her, she couldn't use any medicine - seeing that it would have stung. All she did was bandage it.

Kagome turned around. "That enough proof for you?" Her brown eyes glowed defensively. But before she knew it, she felt a wet appendage make its way up her middle back to her shoulder. Kagome stopped breathing, widened her eyes and froze. Was that his.. tongue? Why was he doing this?

"What are you doing?" Kagome managed to ask, but it came out as a whisper - it came out like she was frightened.

"What else, clumsy? Healing the ugly scratch on your back."

"You have.. healing powers?"

She could hear him scoff, but he didn't say anything in response. Kagome didn't exactly expect him to say anything.. how could she? This was a situation uncomfortable for anyone, but did it feel that way for her?

"There. You're good to go."

Kagome blinked as his hands tossed her the jacket that fell on the floor. Kagome knew it was safe to turn around completely - seeing that she didn't feel anything on her shoulder anymore. But when she did, she saw a faint blush rise on his cheeks, as he looked at the floor.

Was he.. embarrassed? Or did he simply care?

"InuYasha.." Kagome whispered his name.

Again, Kagome didn't expect this event to happen either.. she felt herself pulled into his arms.. which were warmer than what she thought they'd be. She collapsed unto the warm heap of his body, and his arms immediately wrapped around her waist. She could hear his heart beat quickly, and at that moment she liked hearing it. She couldn't help but like being this close to him.. a tingly feeling spread through her body, as he kept on holding her. Gently. As much as she wanted to feel confused, Kagome wasn't at all nervous. It was like she was calm and nothing but. She didn't ever feel this way around any other boy; they never made her heart pound against her chest wildly. They never made her feel such.. desire.

"I can't bear to see another woman die."

As quiet as those words slipped past InuYasha's lips, Kagome heard them loud and clear; her heart beat even faster, and butterflies invaded her stomach. The desire she felt strengthened within her.. but she didn't want to ruin this perfect moment.

Sango was right.. InuYasha was concerned about her.

**:3 :3 :3**

Naraku's vicious, bloodthirsty eyes glowed in the dark; it was enough to strike fear into people's hearts.

It stroke fear into one certain demon's heart.

Naraku heard the situation first hand from Kagura, who had witnessed it.

He was outraged when he learned that Kageromeru attacked the woman he planned to claim; he was far from it when he learned that Kageromeru wanted to devour her.

It was a HUGE mistake to claim what was Naraku's, much less actually attempting it.

"N-naraku," Kagerumeru murmured.

"You know why you are here, don't you?"

"I-I don't quite under-"

"You fool! You attacked the wrong woman!"

"But her blood called out to me-"

Before Kageromeru finished his sentence, he felt a sharp blade under his throat - ready to slit it any moment. If he valued his life, he stayed quiet. He had to. Though he wanted his master to understand the circumstances of the situation.

"Her blood belongs to me. You were foolish to think otherwise."

"Kikyo's blood wasn't enough, sir?" Those words were not meant to be spoken aloud; Kageromeru regretted it the moment he said it. He knew that his life was shortened.. The blade was pressed more firmly against his throat, even moreso close to cutting his neck. It was getting harder to breathe...

"Kikyo's blood was enough.. until someone else thought it would be amusing to steal her from me." With that, he decapitated the minion's head clean off - leaving no signs of struggle. Nor did much blood pour out. Either way, that demon was dead.

But Naraku's rage did not decrease.

The fact that Kikyo had chosen the impudent half-breed over him led to her own death. And to InuYasha's fate, hidden away from mankind..

**:3 :3 :3**

**Whoah! Super long chapter! But hey - I wrote this in a mere couple of hours. You've gotta be impressed. LOL!**

**Isn't it super sweet that InuYasha was concerned for her? Not that he'd ever admit it in words, but he HUGGED her for crying out loud! Kagome's starting to fall harder for him.. super cute! ^_^**

**Please review - I'd like to know what you think :3**


	22. So The Saying Goes

**Forgive me for not updating sooner! ^_^ But let's just say my life will probably be even more hectic; dancing, singing, piano and volleyball.. I need to keep myself busy! I don't want to be a slacker in life, LOLZ.**

**But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter :3**

**Thank you...**

**Warm-Amber92**: Naraku is always up to evil schemes: we can't turn our back on him for a second. Forgive me if I sound paranoid, hehe. XD Now that you mention Sango and Miroku's date, just read on ahead ^_^

**Sunrise Phoenix**: You always seem to ask questions like that when the answers will be revealed in the next chapter LOL. JK! XD

**Guest**: I think it's pretty obvious that you are TheRealInuyasha. LOL! I mean, who else says 'good job, ja!'. Although my family's Norweigan, I only know one person who says that: you! LOL! Anyways...what is your hidden blade? I'm just curious :3

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Thank you so much for reviewing! :3 InuKag would appreciate this ^_^ LOL.

**Chapter 21**

"Gee Miroku, I have to admit, you do have some taste," Sango said, continuing to take notice of her surroundings; she wasn't lying when she said that Miroku had taste. In fact, she was quite honestly surprised. But she wouldn't be surprised if he took her to a strip club. Perverted bastard.

But he wasn't acting like that tonight, on their date. It was Sango's dream come true, seeing that her heart was beating wildly against her chest in joy and she couldn't help but feel touched that Miroku had acted like a gentleman on the way over to the restaurant. By gentleman, she meant that he hadn't once commented on her tits or tried to get a feel of her butt. At the time, Sango assumed that Miroku truly wanted to impress her. Her rational side argued that it would have to take a lot more than that to court her fully.

Though Sango wasn't girly, she still wanted to be treated like a Princess by a boy; overall, she liked to hear compliments and maybe receive flowers, or even just flat-out honest statements. She hated a man who lied to her.

Sango had class; she had standards. If a guy didn't treat women right, smoked any kind of drug, drank incessant amounts of alcohol then they were off the list. Sango wanted someone who'd be the opposite of that: she wanted someone who had a clue as to what he wanted to do in his future. She wanted a man who could give her love... Though the man in question was Miroku - the infamous pervert of the school.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, my sweet Sango," Miroku said, taking a sip of his drink - not trying to break eye contact with his love interest. Sango couldn't help but flush a cotton candy pink, as her chocolate brown orbs were being swallowed up by his violet hues...

This was the first time that Sango heard him say anything that sweet instead of something like this: "Are you an alien? Because if so, your butt is out of this world."

Sango had her hair up in a bun, revealing her slender neck. She wore a strapless emerald green dress that hugged her curves and ended down mid-thigh. Sango didn't really wear much make-up - just a coat of mascara and some lip gloss. But to Miroku, she looked like an angel.. Considering that if she wore high heel shoes - which she did at this point - she'd be a few inches taller than him. Miroku didn't mind that at all - he loved his women tall..

Meanwhile, Sango was overall pondering the aspects of Miroku's behavior and personality. You'd think that if you knew a guy who loved to feel women up, and assuming that was all he did, and you're dead wrong about that.. well, Miroku was one of those people. He could be really sweet, but that was only when either something emotional or tragic going on OR if he was trying awfully hard to impress someone. Miroku was never one of those guys who'd change for the better good, but Sango wasn't going to be majorly picky about what he did. But when it came to perversion, that was a different story.

"Sango? Is everything okay?"

Sango had to take a sip of water; she felt like she was on fire! At least, that was what she felt like inside.. Sango was also sure that her face was turning into a dark shade of crimson.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sango replied, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

Miroku smiled. "I like it when you're all flustered, Sango. Been thinking about something?"

Sango rolled her eyes; at first she thought he was sweet for complimenting her, but now she thought that he was back to his old self.

But Sango took the context of Miroku's words: she had been thinking about something completely different than from what Miroku 'understood'. Yet he probably thought that she was still hung over that one night when they met... the night that Miroku comforted her for going through so much - even if he didn't know what happened. You'd think that Miroku would openly ask questions, but that was another thing that Sango was appreciative for him. The fact that he didn't ask questions. How could Miroku understand that Naraku, of all people, had tainted her of any innocence? He would be disgusted with her - saying that she was a hypocrite and she shouldn't accuse Miroku of being unpure when Sango wasn't even pure at all.

To be honest, that was a scenario that Sango didn't EVER want to see. She had to be honest: she actually cared what Miroku thought about her. It took a lot to sacrifice her pride to say that to herself.. as well as the fact that she cared for him. Sango didn't know if it was love, or if it was just a crush.

"It's nothing," Sango shook her head.

"Sango, I hope that you know that I trust you."

Sango raised her head up to meet his watchful admiration - the deep, yet playful purple eyes that she adored. What brought this on? Since he came to pick her up - that was when. It was kind of hard to pay attention to this sort of detail when you think that everything that you know about one person changes. Leaving Sango to think about every aspect of it.

"I know this isn't the place to say anything, but.. even if we were alone, it wouldn't make things any more private," Miroku stated seriously. Sango could tell that he was since the gleam of mischief disappeared from his eyes. "Ever since that night when I saw you.. alone.. I knew that you were upset about something. I still won't ask you what happened, but I want to let you know that you can trust me, Sango."

What was going to happen next - him proclaiming his love for her? Miroku was already surprising her bit by bit with these lines, so Sango wouldn't be shocked to hear him say I love you. But then again, Sango knew that Miroku would never say those words to just anyone. So maybe it would surprise her.. it would certainly make her heart skip a beat a few times. It would certainly make her face turn a mortifying shade of red again..

"Thanks, Miroku. That means a lot to me." She even gave him a small, smile filled with grattitude.

"Don't mention it. But do you remember the time I asked if I could court you?"

How could Sango forget that? It had only been a few days ago: Miroku basically asked her out and Sango told him that she had to be courted the right way. No exceptions were made for childhood friends, and she said that - even though it was pretty obvious that Miroku and Sango did not know each other as children. She just stated her expectations. Miroku had impressed her with the restaurant reservation - which was nearly impossible to get. He complimented her. He didn't perform any lecherous acts. He behaved quite nicely.. but Sango always expected him to say something.. anything that was disgusting. It only meant that she was used to his behavior... but what did that mean? That Sango liked him for what he was before?

"Yes."

"You told me that we had to know things about each other if we wanted the relationship to become serious."

Sango couldn't help but feel doubtful; since when..did Miroku want things to be serious between them? When did he realize that he had the potential for such a relationship in the future? When did he first think about his feelings for her? "Is now the perfect time?" Sango asked, but it came out more like a squeal than a collected question.

Miroku chuckled. "That's up to you."

Sango totally felt a little uncomfortable but at the same time, she had to give him points. She could tell that he was trying very hard to make sure that Sango would be happy with the way things turn out. He was considerate of her.. for once. Maybe this was a sign that she should let her guard down a little bit. "I guess."

"What would you like to know?"

"Your family."

"I was born in a long line of priests and monks, on March fifteenth of 1994. I didn't have any siblings and my mother died when I was young. My father was heartbroken and died a few years later. I was left to stay under the care of my grandfather, Mushin."

Sango subconsciously reached out for his hand and covered it with her own. "I'm sorry."

Miroku shook his head. "No, it's alright. But I do wish things could have turned out differently. Given the circumstances, I mean."

_Cirumstances? _

"My father was involved with the mafia quite a lot; but even moreso after Mother died. The thing was, Father came home with more money and I didn't know what to make of it. I asked him about it and I knew then he was involved with Naraku."

Sango widened her eyes in astonishment. It was as though the Earth stood still and all living creatures were frozen in the time-space. "Did you say Naraku?"

Miroku blinked. "Yes. But if you don't wish to implore the subject any further, well, I'm sorry."

Miroku only told Sango a little bit about his family; this day had to come eventually when Miroku would reveal his dark past. Sango never saw this one coming - Naraku being mentioned and interferring in his life. What would Naraku want with his family? What did he need? Why would he go through all this trouble?

Flashes of nearly long-forgotten memories, that should have stayed out of her mind forever, appeared before Sango's very eyes. She didn't want to think about it any further.. Naraku not only hurt her, but he hurt other families too..

"Sango, I'm sorry if I said anything to disturb you."

"Don't apologize. You didn't have to tell me about your family and what that monster did to you. You still don't."

Miroku's eyes softened. "It seems we have been hurt by the wrong people. I can see it in your pretty eyes."

Sango blushed. "You.. really think I'm pretty?"

"Yes. But even more beautiful than the moon itself."

Sango giggled. "Miroku.. you don't have to say things like that."

Miroku looked puzzled now. "Didn't you want me to court you the right way?"

After what Miroku told her, which wasn't that much to be honest - since Sango could detect something else in Miroku's eyes, Sango felt more empathetic toward him. Sango was almost close to forgiving him for his lecherous deeds. But, she thought about what she liked about him in the first place. Why did she like him?

Sango had to reluctantly admit that his traits were what attracted her to him in the first place. If he changed his personality, would Sango approve of that? No. Sango knew it would be better if Miroku didn't change. Granted that her jealousy wasn't really something that she could control at any point. Miroku would always flirt with other girls - even if he was committed already to another girlfriend.

Even if Miroku was ready for a relationship, would Sango be?

"I know how much you're trying, Miroku, but I like you just the way you are."

"How much of me do you like?" Miroku asked, but it came out to be flirtatious. Just what Sango expected. Hand it to Miroku to instantly be himself again when given the right moment. But then again, Sango did know that she basically gave him permission. But.. Sango found it cute. She didn't use the word 'cute' to describe many guys, so again, Miroku was the exception in every case.

"How much of ME do you like?" Sango immediately felt embarrassed; did she just flirt back? To be painfully honest, she never flirted with anyone! Was this just a subconscious choice? Or did she just really mean what she said? Okay, so that wasn't the right question to ask herself. Her cheeks, once more, were stained with embarrassment and the colour of red.

"I wouldn't change a thing about you, Sango."

Was it hot in here? Sango took a sip of water, feeling the cold liquid quench her thirst and soothing her throat.

"You wouldn't?"

Sango could find a million things about herself that she should change. For example, her tendency to use violence if a certain boy continued to exploit his womanizing ways in public.

"I find it quite sexy when you're jealous." With that, Miroku winked in her direction - causing her heart to flutter. It even skipped a beat.

"Thanks. I guess."

Before Sango could say anything more, as well as Miroku, he 'accidentally' dropped his fork: landing underneath the table. Just think about that for a second, before you actually know what was about to happen.

Miroku gave Sango the closest thing to an apologetic smile, which earned a good review in Sango's opinion, and bent down to retrieve his eating utensil.

But it was only a minute or so that Sango knew what Miroku was trying to pull off. Her eyes widened angrily, her posture straightened and she tensed up, and her face turned the deepest shade of red humanly possible.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sango hissed. "What's wrong with you?"

Miroku sat back on his chair with a sheepish grin on his face. "I'm sorry - I couldn't resist!"

"Leave it to you to do something lecherous when we're having a serious conversation."

"Would you prefer it if I turned my affections elsewhere?"

Sango narrowed her eyes. Oh, he was good. Good at twisting her words so it would sound like SHE wanted this to stop. Granted that he may have just gotten a peek at her good stuff from underneath the table, it didn't feel scrutinizing at all. In fact.. it didn't make her feel uncomfortable either. Wait. What? She may have come to terms with possibly accepting Miroku's perverted behavior, but that didn't mean she should let her guard down all the time! Again, she had this debate with herself. In the end, she only achieved the same outcome as before. Miroku was trying his hardest not to squelch this thing between them. He seemed to genuinely want to date her.

"No."

This was the first time any boy showed interest in her; most of the male species would cringe and look away. Some would even say that she's experimenting her sexual orientation because there was no way a girl like her could be good at any sport that involved kicking their masculine butts. Sexist pigs they were.

So Sango knew that she should enjoy this - being courted romantically by a man who seemed like he had this sort of experience. "I.. never went on a date before," Sango confessed.

"So this would be your first time?" Miroku wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, but Sango couldn't help but giggle amusedly.

"You can put it that way, yes."

"And you haven't done any other sorts of activities?"

From the glare that she gave him, Miroku immediately took back his words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to come out that way."

"It's okay. Guys don't tend to have good things about me on their minds."

"I'm not like those guys. I can think of a lot of things I like about you."

"Miroku.." Sango blinked. "You don't have to be that sweet to me."

"But I want to, my sweet Sango. You're unlike any other girl I've ever met!"

Was this his way of proposing to her?

To be honest, Sango had the same thoughts about him. Miroku was not like any other boy that Sango was acquainted with.

**:3 :3 :3**

All in all, the date itself went great. For the remainder of the evening, they talked about all sorts of things. Any awkward topics of conversatios or anything awkward in general were gone at that point. Sango felt more than comfortable around Miroku and he shared more about himself with her. Which made her feel guilty that she was keeping her life private and wouldn't say much more to him than she planned.

But Miroku seemed to trust her a lot. That was an obvious sign that he may have more than just a crush on her. But Sango wasn't going to get her hopes up. There were thoughts running around in her head and they were either doubting Miroku's feelings for her or that they were insisting that he was in love with her. Sango hoped that the latter would be true; wouldn't it be nice to fall in love and live a happily ever after?

Of course, Sango didn't really enjoy fairy tales that had a tragic ending to them. That may be cliche, but she sort of dreamed that she would have her own life figured out and a perfect man by her side. That changed when Naraku involved her and her little brother Kohaku in his schemes. Not only did Sango get hurt phsyically, her outlook on life changed emotionally. She kept this well hidden from Kagome, but there may be a time in the nearby future that Sango would have to tell her. She couldn't hide this anymore.. But what about Miroku? Since it was clear that their relationship was being taken to the next level, Sango knew that he should have a right to know. But not now.

If Sango really wanted to, she could actually talk to him about her life right now - as they were walking back from the restaurant to Sango's house. Miroku, ever the gentleman who loved to surprise Sango, proposed that he'd escort her back. Though it was also clear that Sango could take care of herself, she didn't refuse the offer.

"Is everything alright Sango?" Miroku inquired, as the two were walking side by side. Their pinkies were an inch sort of entertwining and neither one made the move of holding their hand. Maybe it was because they were uncomfortable about doing that now.

"I just had a long night," Sango gave him a reassuring smile. "But I had a really good time."

"I'm glad to hear that. But I want to ask you something; are things... really okay?"

Sango knew what he meant; Miroku was sweet for asking. It was just another sign that he wanted to look out for her and truly care for her. Sango did feel flattered that he cared and all...

"I've been going through a lot for the past few years. It has nothing to do with you, so please don't take it personally." Of course, Sango meant the defensive behavior she put on each time Miroku supposedly did something. If Naraku didn't.. do those nasty things to her, would she be guarded around Miroku? That was a question she wasn't planning on answering any time soon.

"I wouldn't ever hold anything against you."

"You really like me that much?" Sango asked curiously.

"Of course."

Sango didn't even know why she was feeling paranoid.. did she doubt Miroku that much? She didn't mean to.. Sango shivered.

"You cold?" Before Sango could protest, she found herself wrapped in his jacket. She blushed.

"It was stupid of me not to bring a jacket on this date," Sango sheepishly giggled. "But thank you."

Miroku, ever the courageous man, held unto Sango's hand gently. "It's no trouble."

Then Sango did something unexpected. Something that would have made both of them blush right out of their skin. Sango kissed Miroku on the cheek for a brief moment, but she didn't break out of Miroku's hold.

Sango pulled away, to admire Miroku using her eyes. She gave him a smile, and it also appeared that she didn't regret her actions. It seemed as though that she wanted that to happen and of course Miroku was all for the idea of Sango doing what she wanted with him. Now that was a thought that crossed his mind, but not in an intimate way.

"We're almost at my place," Sango stated, all of a sudden feeling shy, as her cheeks finally started to turn pink. You'd think that they'd hurt from changing colour all evening.

Miroku smiled back, squeezing her hand. He couldn't help but like her when she was flustered...

**:3 :3 :3**

_This Sesshomaru has no intentions of fornicating with a human. He is a better man than that._

For some reason, that was all that Rin had been thinking about lately. If it were her choice, she'd be plotting a way to get back home. But since she had to take notice of her surroundings, Rin knew that couldn't be possible because there was nothing but solid forest trees. Which made her going back to thinking about Sesshomaru.. That was his name.

Rin had to guess that this Sesshomaru enjoyed being in solitude, but his eyes told a different story.

As Rin progressed through the forest, taking a walk since there was nothing else for her to do, she had to ponder some more.

_He is a better man than that... _Of course, Rin wasn't sure if she should believe him based on his word. After all, he did seem to keep her like a prisoner here. But why? Why couldn't he let her go home? Was it because she interfered with his business that one night?

Rin sighed in a melancholy fashion. Her friends would probably worry about her; especially Kagome. Once she got back to school, Kagome would without a doubt see her return and she'd be demanding answers. In truth, Rin wasn't sure if she would tell Kagome the truth about what happened. Maybe it was better for her to keep it all to herself.. Kagome was that protective of her friends and family. She'd probably find the guy who kidnapped Rin.

But kidnapped was such a strong word; Rin didn't want to assume anything yet until she got answers. But would Sesshomaru give them to her?

Rin heard a growl. Rin tensed up immediately, widening her eyes in recognition. It wasn't a human snarl - it was more like a wolf's.

Her heartbeat skipped in fear, pounding against her chest harder and faster than ever before. She stood frozen still, unsure what would happen if she moved.

But Rin had to do something. She had to do anything to get out of this mess.

Rin cursed. Why did she have to get herself into situations like this?

She had to run. Yes. She had to run. It wasn't like there was anything else she could do...

**:3 :3 :3**

The first thing that Sesshomaru smelled was blood; human blood and the scent of wolves. The thing was, he recognized the scent of the blood. It was that girl's...

Sesshomaru's first instinct was to leave this matter alone, but given that the girl was still running...

Sesshomaru did not know why he would trouble himself by saving this woman - a human. Humans were never worth this Sesshomaru's time; they were nothing but pests who caused trouble for the demons living in modern times. They seemed to think they were superior to demons, which was what annoyed Sesshomaru. Why the human race managed to populate more of Earth than demons did was beyond his understanding. One would think that humans would be closer to extinction than demons, but the intelligence of that race always managed to surprise him a little bit. Humans were pitiful creatures nonetheless: they misuse Earth's natural resources, they make no permanent bonds with their potential life mates, they develop serious addictions that could pass as suicide. They disgusted him..

But why would he think that this young girl was different?

And why would he keep her at his domain?

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin backed herself up against a tree, fear still residing within her heart. She knew she was about to die; no mercy was going to be given to her by those wolves. They were bloodthirsty and hungry. Rin seemed like she was the perfect meal.

At this time, she continued to scream at herself for taking a walk in the woods. She certainly learned from television shows that one should never be in the woods and two, she shouldn't be walking here alone. Besides, there were always some sketchy, creepy and possibly disturbing creatures that lived here. But did that stop Rin from going? No. She was bored and needed to do something to pass the time. In retrospect, it was a bad idea to begin with. She was better off being bored than about to become a wolf's lunch.

Rin closed her eyes; she couldn't bear seeing the hungry look in the animal's eyes anymore.. she was absolutely terrified and she couldn't do anything to save herself.

But suddenly, she heard them all whimper in fright.

Rin opened her eyes to see her savior, standing proudly and fiercely.. He looked like a divine deity, with his long, silver locks, gorgeous golden eyes.. he didn't seem to appear human. It was like he was a different being altogether.. and to be even more surprised, Rin told herself it didn't matter..

Before Rin could say something, she fell straight to the ground.. completely unconscious... At least she was alive though; but Rin had no idea how much that meant to a certain person.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru caught the young woman in his arms.. He couldn't help but think that this girl gave him so much trouble. So then why? Was it because she looked like a certain woman from his past? A woman that may have captured his interest?

She had dark, raven hair that cascaded down her back. Her skin was a fragile but cool and soft.. Her lips were pink and thin. Sesshomaru could not help think she was beautiful.. but he knew she was not _**her **_reincarnation.

**:3 :3 :3**

"You know, Sango, if I didn't know any better, I'm guessing that you're thinking something perverted," Kagome snickered, amused, when seeing the embarrassed expression her friend was, well, expressing. Her cheeks were the darkest shade of red: Kagome didn't see her cheeks turn that colour before, which was unusual to say the least.

But then again, maybe it wasn't surprising..

Kagome knew how Sango felt about Miroku; it would be logical if that was the reason why Sango was dazing off all the time. It was like he put a spell on her, because Kagome never saw her this way before. Either something good happened on that date or something bad.

It was the weekend, and Kagome and Sango were meeting up at WacDonald's. Every time that Kagome tried to converse with her, she'd say something unintelligable and then go back to daydreaming. Kagome couldn't help but think it was annoying.

"Ah-ha, so I was right."

Sango took a bite out of her chicken mcnugget, which was dipped in barbeque sauce. "So..."

Sango looked up to see the eager sparkle in Kagome's eyes. It was another way of asking her what went down on Sango and Miroku's date. She rolled her eyes; there was no avoiding it. After all, Sango did promise Kagome that she would tell her all about it. Besides - Sango had future opportunities to get back at her friend.

"How'd the date go last night?"

Sango let out a dreamy sigh, a small smile taking place on her lips and her eyes shining with hope. "It went fairly well, I think. Miroku tried really hard to impress me."

"Where'd he take you?"

"Some Western restaurant; apparently, he had been saving up a whole bunch of money for a few months to take me there. And.."

"He impressed you."

"He really did! I mean, sure, he did a couple things and said a couple things that were out of line, but.." Sango shrugged her shoulders. "He had his own ways of courting me."

"How hard did he try?" Kagome inquired.

"Miroku complimented me a few times and he said he liked me," Sango explained, unable to hide much excitement from her best friend. Even Kagome could tell that much. Kagome knew that she was happy with this development. Kagome was indeed happy for her - knowing that Miroku told her of his feelings. "Then we danced and never ONCE did he try to squeeze my butt."

"Aww, that's sweet." Kagome would have never expected this sort of behavior coming from Miroku, but then again, she didn't really know him. It was nice to know that Miroku had a romantic side to him. Sango deserved to receive that love; she had been through a lot, maybe even more than Kagome had recently.

"After that, we went back to my place and just.. kissed."

Kagome widened her eyes in complete shock - she was also sure that her jaw dropped too. "No..."

"Come on, Kagome. It's not like I let him into my bedroom."

"In other words, you did the nasty on your front step."

"What is wrong with you? Of course not. He kissed me sweetly and he said he'd call me."

Kagome smirked. "Next thing you know, he'd ask you to marry him and bear his children." She was expecting a retort to come from Sango's lips, but none came. Instead, it seemed as though Sango was actually taking those words to heart. It was like she was actually considering that. At that moment, Kagome knew that Sango was in love.

**:3 :3 :3**

**This is probably the longest chapter up to date on this story: I hope you're proud of me! LOL. XD **

**How'd you like the Sango and Miroku date? I won't blame you if you think it's meh. And what's this about Sesshy and Rin? Well, you'll have to tune in to find out :3**

**Anyways, please review - I'd really like to know what you think :3**

**Next chapter: Sango meets InuYasha! ^_^**


	23. She's Definitely In Love

**Thanks goes out to...**

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I wonder if there are people like Miroku in real life.. like, REALLY like Miroku in real life. LOLZ. Though I wonder if that's the case.. I wonder how I would react to a Miroku-look-a-like asking me out of the blue if I would bear his child.. that would totally be awkward! XD Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing :3

**Warm-Amber92**: Let's just say that Miroku must really be in love with Sango if he tries that hard :) You'll get to hear from Sesshomaru some time soon ^_^ But the meeting between Sango and InuYasha should be just as good :)

**TheRealInuyasha**: So you finally realize that? XD Anyways, thanks for reviewing, ja! ^_^

**Sunrise Phoenix**: I hope you're not saying that (unless you really mean it) but you're still such a nice person :) You'll find out what happens with them in a few chapters - but I hope you like this chappie :3

**Chapter 22**

The next day seemed like a total haze. At least, that was what Kagome thought. School seemed to pass by very quickly and for once, Kagome was not grateful for it. But since when did she feel that way? Since realizing that she was taking Sango to meet InuYasha. First impressions were important; if Kagome had a boyfriend, she had the right (more likely that Sango had the right) to introduce him to Sango. It would be important to gain her approval if they all were to hang out together and get along so well.

Kagome's conscience was split into two paranoid feelings: whether if Sango would approve of him and the other feeling was that they weren't going to get along. But.. the problem with that logic was that InuYasha was not her boyfriend..

_But you want him to be..._ a voice taunted her within her head. Kagome took time to analyze those words. Did she want him to be her boyfriend?

To be totally honest with herself, she couldn't imagine herself being with any other boy...

She knew that she liked him, but what was she going to do about it?

Kagome had no choice but to put this off until the meeting between her best friend and InuYasha was finished. She had to say, she was pretty nervous.

"Hello? Earth to Kagome!" And of course, the annoyed and extremely frustrated voice of her best friend Sango interrupted her from her latest stress.

"Sorry Sango," Kagome quickly apologized, but judging from the way that Sango was staring at her, she didn't believe her. But fortunately for Kagome, Sango didn't stay that way for long. She softened her gaze and she no longer pursed her lips in disapproval. Any hostile behavior that was being given to Kagome immediately disappeared.

"Is everything okay? You've been kind of out of it since school let out," Sango pointed out as the two girls walked side by side away from the school property.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." _Not. _

"Scared that I won't approve of your boyfriend?" Sango snickered, unable to resist the opportunity to tease her friend. She had to admit that she was kind of sadistic to see the embarrassment written all over Kagome's face, but Sango enjoyed every moment of it. It would never get old...

Kagome, on the other hand, did not enjoy this type of attention. She was annoyed by Sango's antics greatly and she knew that it tired her to keep telling Sango that InuYasha was not her romantic interest. Even though she liked him...

Even if Kagome admitted to Sango that she liked InuYasha, there was no doubt that Sango would practically tell her over and over again to chase after him. That was if Sango actually thought InuYasha was an okay guy.

"Of course I'm not. I just have a lot on my mind is all."

"Like Hojo?"

Kagome blinked in astonishment, pausing momentarily as she studied Sango's words. "How'd you know?"

"I've seen him talk to you a couple of times. Are you seriously considering going out with him?"

Kagome sighed. "I'm not going out with anyone. Hojo included."

"Makes sense." Sango knew the whole story about Kagome's depression, how her old friends gave up on her and even Hojo did.. but it made Sango somewhat suspicious as to why Hojo would want to make things up with Kagome now. It had been years and he hadn't even said a word to her until now. As much as Sango wanted to think about this, she decided it would have to wait some other time.

Sango wanted nothing more to protect Kagome from all sorts of dangers. Especially the type that involved her heart. Sango would never bear the thought of Kagome being heartbroken. It'd obviously make her upset that her best friend wasn't happy; she had been hurt too often in the past and Sango wasn't willing to let her get hurt again.

Sango was so protective of Kagome that she wasn't even sure that Hojo should be forgiven quite so easily... She knew that Kagome must have accepted his apology for leaving her alone and without any friends, since she heard the conversation taking place. It was just too sudden for Hojo to start making any moves and Sango was pretty sure that Kagome was well aware of that too.

Not only was Hojo on her trail, Koga was chasing after her too. But Sango knew that he was nothing to worry about until the other stuff had been resolved. Though it could prove to be more difficult since Koga was persistant on making Kagome his girlfriend.

Finally there was this InuYasha. Honestly, Sango couldn't picture what the guy would be like until Kagome told her a little about him. Like the fact that he made her angry most of the time. That was just enough information to make this conclusion: that InuYasha was rude and reckless. But other than that... Sango, for some reason, couldn't wait to meet him.

"Sango?"

"Huh?"

Kagome chuckled. "You tell me that I like to drift into space."

"Give it a rest. I was just thinking about InuYasha."

It was Kagome's turn to raise an eyebrow in disbelief. "Seriously? Are you that scared?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "Think what you want, Kags. This guy won't scare me. He should be scared of me."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle. "I don't think InuYasha will turn out to be a pervert, Sango."

Sango will be the judge of that.

**:3 :3 :3**

"You work here?" Sango asked, a little bit skeptical.

"Yep. Sure, it looks a little sketchy, but at least it doesn't draw attention," Kagome answered cheerfully. "Now come on!" Normally, Sango would have objected to having her hand pulled dreadfully hard, but she was busy thinking about the fact that Kagome worked in a sketchy neighbourhood. Normal people worked part-time at clothing boutiques or grocerie stories. Sango didn't know anyone who kept a secret life - and she didn't even mean to be sarcastic at that last thought.

Sango had a bad feeling about the place; the building was dilapitated and it looked like it was going to collapse any moment. But remembering the conversation with Kagome about how important this project was, Sango had to give her credit for agreeing to work in a place where no one could ever find said project and steal it. But still... Sango felt as though something was off. She wouldn't be surprised if this neighbourhood was run by demons.

Sango shook her head. She was about to meet Kagome's love interest (as much as Kagome tried to deny it countless times, Sango knew the truth based on the physical evidence...) and she couldn't concentrate on both things at the same time. She was talented at demon-slaying but she was not so good at multi-tasking.

She witnessed that Kagome didn't seem to be uncomfortable being in a place like this, but then again, she probably got used to the fact that this place was creepy. But how could this be when she wouldn't even watch horror flicks? Again, all signs flickered to her secret boyfriend. It would make sense, if he truly made her that happy...

Which led to this question; would she approve of this guy only for Kagome's sake if he made her happy?

Sango wasn't even going to bother answering this question. She hadn't even met the boy yet! Why should she start judging people now? Ever since she cared for Kagome's welfare and about the people who surround her, influencing her in some way...

Sango then found herself in an elevator, which was not broken down or inconvienient in any way. Considering that the outside physical appearance, Sango half-expected the inside to be just as wrecked.

"And who said this place was creepy?" Kagome asked, sarcasm easily detected in her tone of voice.

"Okay, this isn't what I expected." Kagome even hoped that whatever expectations that Sango had about InuYasha were wrong...

"This'll teach you not to judge a book by its cover."

"You know what? I slay demons for a living. And half of them are in disguise these days. Can you blame me?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "For being paranoid?"

Sango shook her head. "I can't let my guard down around just anyone these days. I mean complete strangers I haven't seen before in my life." She had trusted one demon before and he had betrayed her...

"So you think InuYasha's a psychotic, mentally unstable ex-convict who just escaped from prison? Sure, he can be obnoxious, but I don't think he's a murderer."

Sango knew then that from the way she had been defending him, she had to be in love with him. "I'll trust you on that one." Though Sango somewhat hesitated to say that, she knew that those words weren't false. She knew that Kagome would never endanger herself around people she just described...She knew that she could depend on her - they trusted each other. They were closer than friends after all.. but even people like them had secrets.

"But please, do try and be nice. Even if he sounds like a total dick, just know there's a reason for that." But Kagome couldn't even complete her sentence since a certain someone thought it would be quite hilarious to interrupt her with childish giggles. Kagome rolled her brown eyes, a little annoyed that Sango couldn't even take what she said seriously. Sometimes.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it."

The elevator dinged, signalling they had reached their destination. Fortunately.

**:3 :3 :3**

When the two girls, finally, entered the quarters where InuYasha resided, they didn't expect to see a frantic young woman practically sprinting out of the room for her life. Guessing from the cries that followed her out the door, it didn't take much to figure out that InuYasha was the cause of that.

Kagome couldn't help but chew him out on that. "What did you think you were doing?" She placed her hands on her hips firmly, patiently waiting to expect an answer from the obnoxious boy behind the glass wall. Her eyes were sparkling with anger, as though she were waiting for a fight.

"What did you think? She tried to take my blood!" InuYasha yelped in reply, his golden eyes also burning up in anger. He could easily intimidate anyone with his posture; with his arms crossed and a feral, furious expression written all over his face, no one could even make eye contact with him.

It didn't intimidate Sango though, who just witnessed this childish exhange with widened eyes. She didn't exactly pay attention to the rest of her argument. She focused more on InuYasha - who else could it be? - and his appearance.

When she first heard him, she thought she was going to get an absolute headache. She couldn't help but think how loud he was - even if the glass wall was in place. With his rude temper, one would think that they'd be afraid to face him head on.

"You know, you could at least be a little nice!" Kagome scolded.

"For what? She was trying to kill me, you idiot!"

"Idiot? Why are you insisting on trying to pick another fight with me?"

It wasn't until now that both girls realized that he was not wearing his usual haori. In fact.. he was bare-chested. Kagome's eyes briefly wondered down his chest, which was nicely chiseled like it was made by the Gods, and noticed that the scars were long gone. His skin was golden, nearly sun-kissed, which was surprising - considering that the InuYasha had been concealed underground for many years...

"Like what you see?" InuYasha smirked, his pride increasing at the sight of the girl flustered and embarrassed by being caught at checking his upper body.

Kagome was about to retort, but she nearly forgot that Sango was there.

Sango poked Kagome on the shoulder, cleared her throat and waited impatiently to be introduced. Even InuYasha noticed there was another stench in the room. His eyes moved from Kagome to Sango's, and they immediately hardened in icy coldness and suspicion. "Who the hell are you?"

Sango narrowed her eyes. "I'm Sango. Kagome's friend."

InuYasha scoffed. "Must be pretty gutsy to call this wench your friend."

"And I must be pretty gutsy to try and slit your throat," Sango growled in response.

"So you're a demon slayer. Figured as much."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Unlike that woman other there, you have balls to stand up to someone like me."

Sango shrugged her shoulders, ignoring Kagome's instant protests. "Yes, well, I've been slaying demons for seven years. Half-demons aren't an exception."

Of course, InuYasha WAS an exception in her case. But it wasn't like Sango was planning to reveal that.

"Keh. Even what you say is true, you couldn't even take on a strong demon."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Of course, Sango knew exactly what he meant...

"You're a girl so-"

Before InuYasha could finish what he started, Sango quickly punched the glass wall with all of her strength; it was enough to make a medium-sized crack in it. InuYasha's facial expression turned back to being stoic. "Now what were you saying?"

"Hey Sango," Kagome interrupted. "no need to act so rash." She then turned around to face InuYasha. "And you.. need to put on a shirt!"

InuYasha smirked arrogantly. "Doesn't look like you mind."

"Well I do!" Kagome screamed.

Sango sighed, as the argument went back and forth. There was no chance that this fight would end anytime soon...

But, as much as she wanted to hate the guy, she never once saw Kagome act so passionate about anything.. or anyone. Oh yeah, Kagome was definitely in love.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I bet you thought this chapter sucked, huh? I promise to try harder next time!**

**And you know what's the worst? Getting a summer cold. Gosh darn it! :P **

**Anyways, please review - I thrive on them and I'd really love to know what you think, darlings :)**


	24. Love Feels So Right

**I hope you guys like this chapter; there's some major drama going to be starting! And.. a certain couple will slowly start getting together ;)**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**Vampireinu95**: Thank you so much for reviewing - I really appreciate it. And please try to hang in there- InuKag will happen soon!

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Trust me: seeing Inu with a bare chest is every girl's dream! LOL XD Isn't Sango such a spaz? :3 Thanks for reviewing!

**Taria Robotnik**: Glad to make you laugh at my chapter :3

**Warm-Amber92**: Not gonna lie, Sango probably would have! XD That's what you get Inu for saying sexist comments... you get punched in the face by a chick! ^_^

**TheRealInuyasha**: Whatever spell you did, my cold is long gone! Thanks :)

**Chapter 23  
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_How come I didn't introduce Sango to InuYasha sooner? _Kagome thought gleefully, as she witnessed the exchange between Sango and InuYasha. Clearly she had a good feeling that they'd get along perfectly, even if they were too stubborn to admit it. Kagome would have been a bit peeved, knowing that Sango had managed to not piss InuYasha off, except that thought had been prevented by another; Sango was only interested in Miroku and no one else.. Which completely disregarded the 'jealousy' feeling - if that was the case. Why should she feel jealous, anyhow? It wasn't like Sango was the type to exploit her sex symbol to men on a daily basis.. It wasn't like InuYasha was the type to woo any girl under a certain time period.. But even the thought of him being with another girl did spark some discontented, negative emotions on her part. She hoped that he was inexperienced in love; simply because Kagome seemed to be a bit possessive... Other than that miniscule darkness in her heart, Kagome was selfless and caring. She valued what her mother taught her, she cherished her and Sango deep within her heart..She knew then she would never have to worry about being alone ever again...Loneliness was not something that Kagome was planning to go through again; she had gone through enough despair - the last thing she needed was drama to start up again in her life. But considering the fact that Naraku was not a good person, who said disturbing things, she had a feeling that trouble was about to start up again. She had a feeling that Naraku had plans for her...

"Kagome?" Immediately, she tensed up after being brought out of her daydream; but she was grateful for this interruption. If she let things bother her too much, such as Naraku, she tended to start expressing anxiety attacks. Back in the early days of her childhood, Kagome made a big deal out of the littlest things (children tended to do that) and that was the key to unleashing her anxiety. Though in her teenage years, the panic attacks never seemed to occur as frequent. And Kagome knew that could change at one point now that Naraku was in the picture...

"Hmm?" Kagome replied cordially.

Sango gave Kagome a small smile, knowing all too well that Kagome had been daydreaming.. about InuYasha no doubt... But Sango wouldn't blame Kagome for doing so; InuYasha seemed to be a gorgeous piece of eye-candy. "I said I have to get going." Sango didn't have to look twice to notice that Kagome was disappointed. She could see it in her chocolate brown eyes.

"How come?" It was meant to come out as an innocent question, but it turned out to be whining instead.

"As much as I want to stay and watch you two go at it, I have other stuff I have to do too," Sango explained, 'ignoring' the hot blush that was slowly rising on Kagome's cheeks. She was only partially telling the truth.. Sango really had other plans going on (that involved Miroku) but they didn't start until later that night. Of course Sango could have chosen to partake on witnessing InuYasha and Kagome duking it out verbally... but what was said was done.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you later then," Kagome shrugged her shoulders, quickly getting over the fact that she'd be alone in the room with InuYasha.. Of course she was still a little nervous about being in the same room with a guy she admitted she liked. She didn't know why though.. just thinking about it made her heart pound against her chest as if it was urging her to confess her feelings of love to him. And then she had to make things worse for herself by imagining the day when he'd confess the same emotion of love to her.

Sango and Kagome exchanged farewells - almost forgetting completely about the third party in the room. Once said farewells were over and done with, Kagome sighed - completely unsure what to do next. Well, she knew that she wasn't going to say that she liked InuYasha, like right in front of him; Kagome had to assume that she'd be the laughing stock for admitting sentimental feelings. Besides, was InuYasha even capable of loving someone? If he hadn't revealed a part of what his life was like before, Kagome would have thought that he wasn't.

"What are you staring at, wench?" InuYasha snapped, crossing his arms defensively like he always done. His crysal eyes were glowing with hatred. Or at least, that was what Kagome translated them as. 

Kagome couldn't help but flush in embarrassment as she tore his gaze from his golden orbs for a few moments to the floor. "Certainly not at you," Kagome grumbled as she self-consciously tucked her stray hairs away from her face.

InuYasha snorted. "Sure you weren't."

Kagome chose that moment to glare right back at him, with her hands on her hips, huffing, "Are you kidding? I've seen better chests than yours, buddy." It wasn't until after this retort did Kagome actually realize what she said.. She basically admitted that she was checking him out.

"Keh. Well I'll say you're a liar," InuYasha smiled smugly, as though he knew something that Kagome didn't. She could really detect that look in his eyes, which switched from defensiveness to playfulness.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" _If that jerk wants to play like that, I'll give him a good show.._ Kagome thought to herself as she expressed the same arrogant grin as InuYasha.

"I can smell it on ya." _Let's see how long that'll sink in her puny brain of hers, _InuYasha said to himself as he waited...

At first, Kagome was confused.. What exactly did he mean? Of course being only half-human, his senses were heightened; they could just about detect anything... Wait. Anything? Could that mean... he could smell her attraction to him? A plethora of emotions ran through her right now; first, she was embarrassed.. now he could tease her about it anytime and she would be made a fool of. Second, she was furious!

"Pervert!" Kagome screamed as her face started turning a darker shade of crimson. She could hear him howl with amusement which made her even angrier. "How could you think that's funny?" Kagome demanded.

"Simple. By the way you're scrunching up your pretty face of yours," InuYasha smirked as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his little 'prison'.

In retrospect, Kagome decided not to reply to this statement using an insult. She knew the best way to get him was to ask a question that he would never expect her to ask. To be honest, Kagome was having the time of her life... "You think I'm pretty?" Kagome asked politely, and fluttered her eyelashes as well as smiling fliratiously.

Never in a million years would she expect this conversation to turn anywhere personal and intimate. Never in a million years would she have figured that InuYasha would blush at this AND avoid eye contact. Which made Kagome all the more curious as to what he was truly thinking.. Was it true what she said? Did InuYasha really think she was pretty?

"Inu...Yasha?" Kagome called out his name, but not very loudly. Her heart was beating very swiftly now and she was pretty sure it was about to leap out of her chest. She was also pretty sure that her face was still blushing up a storm...

"Well you're not fucking ugly.." InuYasha stuttered, still not looking into Kagome's eyes.

"So...I'm only decent in your eyes?" Kagome asked; she was absolutely sure that she wanted to know what InuYasha thought about her...It made her feel relieved to know that she wasn't ugly but at the same time, she asked herself why would she ever want to look to a guy to get advice on her appearance? That part of her conscience was the one that doubted her feelings for InuYasha.

"Okay, you're goddamn beautiful!" InuYasha barked out, as his cheeks appeared to turn darker... "Now will you stop pestering me?"

Kagome was speechless; never once during her time here did she expect him to say how beautiful she was...She could truly tell that he was telling the truth; he seemed very flustered and not very well rehearsed like some guys. She was one of those people that could honestly tell what are people's intentions and she knew that she couldn't go wrong with what she had to think about InuYasha. So what if he didn't constantly compliment her? That meant that he wasn't as creepy as those other boys.. it meant something special to her when InuYasha complimented her in a very unique way.

"Thank you, InuYasha," Kagome said sweetly.

"D-don't think I'll be 'nice' to you just because I said something like that," InuYasha said.

"Who said I wanted you to change? Maybe I just like you the way you are." It was apparent that both of them were quite embarrassed by Kagome's words, thus they turned away from each other - avoiding each other's eyes. A lot of things had changed between them.. neither of them were sure if they wanted this certain change to happen so soon. But Kagome didn't regret what she said to him; every word came straight from the heart and it was nothing but the truth.

"You're the only woman that came out and said that straight to my face." It was a whisper, but Kagome could still hear it. She turned around slowly, to see if InuYasha still had his back turned against the glass wall. "Most people would want me to change; they couldn't stand the sight of me."

Kagome shook her head. "Don't say that. It isn't true." She was tempted to go into the other room and embrace him.. to comfort him. But it felt like she was frozen in time...

"You're just imagining things."

"Come on, InuYasha! You don't need to talk about yourself like that. So what if other people don't see you as unique? It doesn't matter what they think..." She even banged on the glass just to make him look at her. "They wouldn't know a good person - even if they saw one."

"You think I'm good?"

"Yeah.."

"Hate to break it to ya, woman, but I ain't. I'm just a half-breed."

At that point, Kagome already had tears in her eyes.. For the past fifteen minutes, she felt like she was riding on an emotional roller-coaster and since then, she had the urge to shed tears.

"InuYasha... I know I don't really know you.. but I don't think you are a monster. I like you the way you are; I wouldn't ask you to change."

It was at that moment when InuYasha turned around.. Kagome could feel her heartbeat stop as the girl and boy gazed into each other's eyes... She couldn't tell what look InuYasha held in his amber hues, but she knew that he had to be serious.. It was like he was pleading for her to stop crying; no words could ever compare to the look he was giving her.

"You wouldn't want to know me; I'll probably head to Hell for the things I've done." Before InuYasha, or Kagome for that matter, knew it, Kagome stood up and quickly fled over to the other side of the room - unlocking the door that led to InuYasha's cage.. to the room where said InuYasha was trapped like a common animal.

Kagome's heart was soaring and at the same time, she kept asking herself what she was planning to do.

He didn't even know what the heck she was going to do either... until he found her embracing him passionately... InuYasha's heartbeat was much too fast to anticipate as he felt her arms gently hold him.

Kagome's eyes were still red with tears as she threw herself into him. Her head lay underneath his chin as her arms wrapped possessively around his chest.. She felt like she needed this and she knew that InuYasha needed it too.

"I may come off as mushy, but.. I don't want to see you hurt." And from that moment on, Kagome couldn't help but cry. "Ever since I saw you with those injuries, I knew then that I couldn't let anything happen to you."

"Idiot! Why would you feel that way?" He wanted to hear what she would say in response, before tried anything else... like to hold her tightly against him.

"I.. don't really know. It just sort of happened. But I don't regret it."

It was all that InuYasha wanted to hear as he protectively rested his hands on her head - as gently as he could muster - and on her lower back. Instinctively, he pulled her closer to him as though he was cradling her from harm's way. Not that he knew it yet, but he was protecting her in a way. InuYasha couldn't help but think to himself that he was letting himself grow closer to her.. She was a woman that was willing to accept him no matter what; InuYasha never met anyone like that in his life.. He never had anyone to protect.. to love..

Until now.

**:3 :3 :3**

**So what did you think? I figured it was about time they're going to get closer... But there will be major troubles up ahead; can they get through it?**

**If you leave a review, I may give a clue as to what happens next... **

**So, sayonara! For now... :)**


	25. Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

**So glad that you guys loved the last chapter! ^_^ You guys make me so happy, he he :)**

**This chapter has Sango and Miroku as the leading couple here; please enjoy!**

**Thank you goes out to...**

**CityOfFallenAshes**: You think it's cute if someone's acting like a possessive dog with rabies? No, no, just joking ^_^ But thank you so much for reviewing :)

**Warm-Amber92**: Yep; because of Kagome wanting to understand InuYasha more and how he revealed a little bit of his life to her it means they'll get extra affectionate. LOL. I hope you enjoy this one!

**Seeker Heart**: Why is everyone going aww? XD I'm sorry, maybe it's because I've heard it too many times...Anyways, thanks for reviewing :3

**Kelli**: And I absolutely looooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvv vvveeeeeeeee you for reviewing! XD Seriously, you have no idea how much you make my day :)

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Oh yes, they will be making out very soon.. (or will they?) As for Rin, you will have to find out later on! In like, three or four chapters away.. Hope you'll like this chapter though ^_^

**TheRealInuyasha**: Thank you so much for reviewing! And don't lose hope for your stories! Ja? :)

**Menarie**: So glad I've made you happy - because that made me happy too! :) Keep on reading - I really want to know what you think in the future! :)

Status:** Edited but if there are any grammatical errors, it's Naraku's fault!**

**Chapter 24**

"Sango, why do insist on making these bandages so tight?" Miroku had to fight back a moan of excruciating pain, which came from his abdomen. The injury itself wasn't as serious as Sango believed it was but she didn't bother to hear out on his claims. Thus Miroku was forced to lie down on the pleasant, highly comfortable silk sheets - that radiated the same, beautiful, enticing scent of his sweet Sango. "After all, we should put this bed to good use, don't you agree?" Miroku winked flirtatiously and the sparkle in his violet eyes suggested the same thing.

In retrospect, what Miroku should have done was let Sango wrap his wound in utter silence without any perverse ideas in mind. Granted it was very surprising she did not stop her actions; she only tightened the bandages. As far as glares were concerned, Miroku hadn't received any. As far as any insults were concerned, he only received the title of "Idiot". Even if Miroku wanted to feel her up, which he was tempted to do at this precise moment, he doubted she would try to castrate him with a rusty carving knife... It was then he realized she cared for him; though the signs were not obvious. Sango had never been the sort of girl to proclaim any types of flirty behaviour like most other girls. She had always been on the defensive when it came to matters of the heart; Miroku never once blamed her for that... After all the time they spent together, he knew she had a very troubling past. As did Miroku. And so, Miroku decided to protect her from the evils that would come back to get her. He would support her the best to his abilities, and he knew Sango understood the idea. Come to think of it, she appreciated his concern. She kissed him for the idea of caring for her.. For understanding the details of her past had to remain a secret for the time being.

Miroku could still feel the heat of her luscious lips against his own.. He still replayed that minuscule yet intimate moment within his mind; the kiss had only occurred one hour ago when they were out to slaughter a rogue demon.

Miroku hissed in pain, which flared up each time he attempted to move.

"Stay still, Miroku. Please." Was all that the woman he loved said to him as she continued - with the utmost of care and gentleness that came with a woman's touch - to wrap the bandage on the wound. Miroku complied with her request, as he noticed how calm her tone of voice was...As he admired her beauty from afar, he knew that taking the agonizing stab to the abdomen was indeed worth it. Sango meant more to him than his own life.

Sango could feel his eyes lingering on her beauty; a small blush was quickly painted on her creamy, peach skin as she tried to control her thoughts... She tucked a stray hair behind her ear as she tried to focus on helping Miroku and his injury... But Sango couldn't. She still imagined him shielding her with his body so she wouldn't have to suffer from a painful attack. It was incredibly sweet that Miroku protected her, from the demon that acted mentally unstable, but that didn't stop her from worrying about his welfare.

"You look stunning," Miroku said, after a long moment of silence.

Though Sango would have loved to retort an insult dealing with his perverted nature, another part of her told her to love the attention Miroku was giving her. She could truly tell that he meant it - but still, her cheeks were still stained with the colour of rouge. Sango also couldn't help but smile, albeit a small one.

"It's always like you to compliment me; even if you're broken and bruised," Sango gazed solemnly into Miroku's captivating violet orbs that glowed brilliantly.

"Nothing could ever break me, my dear Sango," Miroku spoke clearly, his tone suggesting nothing but truth. For extra measure, he managed to grasp one of Sango's hands and kissed her palm; he did so without ever breaking eye contact. "Because I have you."

Sango clearly didn't expect this to happen.. Even though they have shared kisses, he still managed to ignite the fire within her.. The fire of affection.

She leaned closer toward him; all thoughts of finishing adressing his scar vanished from her mind.. Sango had to admit it wouldn't hurt growing closer to him...Maybe even telling him about her past. But was she ready? Many times before, Sango could hardly think about her family without bursting into tears of sorrow, and tears of regret.

"You don't even know me," Sango muttered. "How could.. you love me if you don't know who I am?"

Miroku smiled weakly. "Are you assuming that we put all our meetings from the past aside?"

Sango shook her head, avoiding his watchful, beautiful gaze as she did so. "I..I'm just saying I haven't told you about my past."

"I understand that. It's too painful to speak about it, I presume." Miroku held Sango's hand lovingly, thus spreading a new kind of warmth throughout her body. She had to admit that she liked these moments with him; his words comforted her to the point where she didn't feel as much pain as she was used to.

"It normally is. But with you..the pain just stops. I can't thank you enough for that time you've found me, and you held me." Sango took her other hand to surround the hand that delicately held her own. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you, Sango," Miroku squeezed her hand, his fingers lacing through her own.

"Surround yourself with family and friends, look for a new girl," Sango meant the last added part as a joke, but Miroku wasn't laughing along.

"I would never find a new girl; there's no one lovely like you," Miroku said smoothly, almost like he had rehearsed this...like he said it to another girl.

Sango knew she shouldn't feel right with another girl staking her claim on Miroku.. and vice versa.

"What's wrong? Do I make you uncomfortable?"

Sango shook her head, ridding herself of any doubting voices that disproved of their relationship. "It's just.. you sound like a natural; a total romantic. I don't have a problem with that at all. But..am I the only girl?" Sango, all of a sudden, felt silly for rambling on and on..

"Why wouldn't you be?"

"I'm just thinking you deserve someone better; here I go hassling you about other girls -"

"I wouldn't change a thing about you. I love you just the way you are." Did he have to remind her once more that she shouldn't change? This was the second time she had been told this, but the difference was, she took the time to fully digest this information.

Then Sango had the urge to say three words; but she had to analyze her feelings for him. Were they true love? Sango was hesitant to answer. She was also hesitant to travel down this path.. But why should she doubt herself? She had Miroku with her; she shouldn't feel worried about anything...

"Well, that's very considerate of you," Sango replied. "But you need to rest up, Miroku. You really scared me earlier," She couldn't help but confess; her heart started to pound even quicker against her chest. All the emotions she felt earlier started to come back in a plethora; fear, surprise, anxiety...

Miroku sighed contentedly, before complying to Sango's request. "So my dear Sango was worried about me?"

"I guess you could put it that way," Sango said. "Now just get some rest."

"Is it unfair to ask you if you mind staying here with me?" Miroku asked her softly.

Sango was now pretty certain that her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Suconsciously, she made her decision long before her mind had. "Yeah, I'll stay."

In the end, Sango did not regret her decision; she was determined to stick by his side - no matter the cost. She vowed that she would protect him from Naraku - even if it meant her very life. Sango knew she would do anything to protect the people she cared about.

**:3:3:3**

Later on that day, Kagome was focused on completing her homework, but her subconscious wanted to think about something else. InuYasha.

The man with an attitude problem who admitted she was beautiful...the man who preferred her natural scent...the man who embraced her back.

Kagome couldn't help but blush as she remembered his strong arms holding her...Her heart was still fluttering; it had to mean something. At first, Kagome thought it was just a crush.. but now she wasn't so sure. Could she actually be in love? Love was supposed to feel wonderful inside; and that was how she felt when she was bonding with InuYasha. She knew she was in love, because she had no such feelings beyond friendship for Koga..She loved saying InuYasha's name, she loved his appearance and his personality; sure he was rough around the edges and could possibly be on the cruel side.. but deep down, this was a boy who needed affection in his life. This as a person who had never been accepted by anyone; until she came into his life. Kagome decided it'd be best to protect him from now on. He needed constant protection from Naraku, that much was certain.

Now that the clutter inside her heart was gone, the next thing Kagome needed to think about was how to deal with Naraku. She knew how influential and powerful he is in society, not to mention how he thought that he could get away with anything he wanted without paying the price for justice. How could she make sure that he'd be out of InuYasha's way?

A sharp pain entered Kagome's head - stopping her from conjuring up any sort of answer that could be remotely legal. She rubbed her poor temples, who had yet to receive a break from thinking about so many things. She knew she was getting stressed again...

"Kagome!" Sakura knocked on her daughter's door three times before entering; it was the unwritten rule and Kagome knew it.

"Yeah?" Kagome replied, stiffling back a yawn. She was extremely tired. At least, mentally. She never pushed herself to the point of physical extertion; sure, she had gym class, but the closest thing she had to excercize was running - if she had the time. Otherwise, she just stuck to her studies.

"Your grandmother Kaede is on the phone and she'd like to speak to you," Sakura handed Kagome the chordless phone before leaving.

"Hello?"

"It has been a while, Kagome," The wise tone of her grandmother caused Kagome to remember she had last seen her. It had been at least a year; Kaede was her dad's mother, and she used to visit frequently whenever she could. But since the death of her father, visits had come less than frequent. Kaede had only one child and it had been difficult for her to grieve over the loss of her son. Now, she lived in Kyoto with a well-paying job and as far as Kagome knew, she was still healthy.

"I guess it has been, yeah," Kagome chuckled sheepishly.

As far as Kagome knew, she didn't know about what her father did for a living..

"You sound happy."

"I..think I'm in love." Of course, Kagome didn't mean it to come out like that in retrospect. This was a sudden call from her grandmother and already Kagome was spilling information that she hadn't even revealed to Sango (just the fact that she was actually in love with InuYasha).

"What does your heart tell you?"

"I'm in love."

"May I enquire as to what is this boy's name?"

"His name's InuYasha."

"I see.. Is he the boy that you spend so much time with at the lab?"

Kagome widened her eyes in surprise. "You know about that?" How could she have found out?

Kaede chuckled over the telephone line. "Well, Surei was never one to keep secrets from me; he always told me what he's been up to. After all, I was once part of the project."

Now this was shocking news to hear.. But once Kagome realized that her grandma's words make sense with the situation, the surprise eventually disappeared. She was just curious as to why Kaede had only told her this information now.

"I'm dreadfully sorry I have never taken the time to call as often to tell you this.. but your father told me specific instructions."

A shiver cascaded down Kagome's spine. "Instructions?"

"I only mean that he never wanted me to tell you anything about this project until you came of age, and that something had happened to him... But, things change and so do people."

Kagome didn't have to ask her grandmother what that meant.. She had a feeling that she was talking about Naraku. "I presume you know about Naraku's involvement," Kaede said carefully.

"Yes. Myoga told me all about him."

"Myoga is still around, is he?"

"You know him?" Could this day get any weirder? It seemed to Kagome that her grandmother made many connections in the outside world that she kept secret.

"We've been colleagues during the time I spent with Surei. But there is a reason I have called, Kagome. Be wary of your surroundings; everything is not what it seems. Look after InuYasha, more importantly. I fear that Naraku will begin his deadly game." Kagome was more confused than anything else.. What did her grandma mean by 'deadly game'? And what about 'appearances are deceiving'? What did she have to look out for? Could she be in danger - or was InuYasha the real target?

"But I am glad to know that you are well. I will speak with you again shortly." Before Kagome could stop her, she had already hung up; leaving Kagome to take everything she had heard in silence..

Now that she knew there was another player to the game, Kagome hoped that it wasn't an enemy.. But her heart told her that things were going to grow worse within each passing day. But how could she stop this? How could she protect InuYasha?

**:3 :3 :3**

**So now you know.. there are still mysteries left unsolved. But if you're smart enough, you'll figure it all out.. JK! I would never force you guys to get involved LOL!**

**Anyways, what did you think about this chapter? I hope you guys enjoyed it ^_^**

**Don't forget to leave a review!**


	26. Mission Impossible V: Screwing The Rules

**You guys are obviously awarded with cyber-cookies. Unless you prefer cyber-cake...LOL!**

**So thanks goes out to...**

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I tend to stay away from dogs that have rabies... It's called paranoia and self-preservation. LOL. Maybe something good and bad will happen.. you never know! ^_^

**Warm-Amber92**: Don't you just love moments like that? So do I! Sango and Miroku are a match made in heaven, but InuYasha and Kagome are just too cute! :3

**Menarie**: Were you expecting Kaede? Can you foresee the future? LOL. Just joking.. But yes, it was about time that Sango is dropping her defensive façade around Miroku. He really loves her and now she can finally see hat. But would you blame her? He is a womanizer, after all. LOL.

**TheRealInuyasha**:Good for you! I hope you really enjoy writing as much as you say, ja! LOL!

**Seeker Heart:** All will be revealed in due time. Glad to know you liked the Miroku and Sango bit! I listened to a whole bunch of love songs while writing it..Looks like it was worth it :)

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Yes it does seem that there are more questions than ever, but they will be answered; I can assure you :3 Obviously, Kagome is gonna ask that question - she'll have plenty of time to think of all that... and InuYasha too! XD

**RefiraM**: Thank you so much for reviewing; you truly made my day! :)

**Black Phantom Of The Shadows**: I actually know what that means in French, thank you very much! But thank you for reviewing! :)

**Status****: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, it's all Naraku's fault!**

**Chapter 25**

Kagome knew that she made an informed decision; after seeing InuYasha harmed once again - with thick, bloody whip lash scratches carved on his back - she knew she couldn't handle the thought of letting him be in pain any longer... And this had only been one day ago, on a Sunday. Today was obviously Monday, and she had taken all the time that she needed to conjure up some escape plan for InuYasha. She knew that she couldn't back down from that; she cared about InuYasha's welfare too much to worry about anything else. Honestly, Kagome was a little uncertain about what would happen as a result from letting InuYasha go free. But Kagome knew that being scared was never an option for her; she had to grow a tough skin, because contrary to belief, life did not owe her anything. She owed it to InuYasha - who certainly should live the rest of his life without any psychological and physical pain. Even if it meant that they never saw each other again.. No. Kagome's heart would break just thinking about that actually happening... she'd miss him far too much..but at least Kagome wouldn't have a guilty conscience if he had been killed by Naraku. She knew that it had been Naraku who whipped him and it twisted her stomach, knowing that Naraku was even crueler than she had believed him to be. And at that point, Kagome wondered if her father knew that Naraku was a bad man.. Considering that she believed that he was murdered, she had a gutsy feeling that Surei did know; he paid the price.

After speaking with her grandmother about this, which the phone conversation itself happened three hours ago, Kaede had agreed with her; in fact, she all the more encouraged her to do the right thing. Knowing that her grandma supported her in every step of the way, Kagome's self-confidence rose to an all-time high. She knew that she could do this - she could put her mind to it and in the end, she'd accomplish her goal. She was determined enough (not to mention stubborn as a mule) and she could defend herself if need be. She could do this!

Though the one fault to her plan was the actual sneaking out part; even though Sakura would be asleep, Kagome felt extremely paranoid that she'd catch her leaving the house at midnight. But Kagome wasn't going to let that stop her, even if her heart would be beating swiftly at 100 beats a minute.

Kagome's dark brown eyes gazed toward her alarm clock - which indicated it was 11:55 PM. It was time.

She slipped into a large, black hoodie that would provide her with the warmth she'd require as well as throwing on some jeans and converse sneakers. It was the first time in years that she wore an outfit like this, as well as the fact that the rush that came with the plan she was going to put in motion. She had to say, the adrenaline felt dangerous and good at the same time. But Kagome would feel absolutely even better once InuYasha was free from the prison known as Hell. She'd feel just as reassured knowing that he'll finally be safe.

Were these the instructions that her father had left for her? To free InuYasha from this terrible fate?Was this what he wanted her to do all this time? It would make sense; her father was never one to despise any living being based on their skin colour, gender or race. He treated people equally - as Kagome did.

Kagome was satisfied with this conclusion and she didn't think she'd feel the need to ponder on the subject any further.

_Here I come, InuYasha; whether you like it or not, you aren't going to spend another minute in that room anymore. _Kagome said to herself, as she quietly (and hopefully inconspicuously) walked down the stairs to the living room, to the kitchen and finally to the door. _Not as long as I can help it; Naraku won't hurt you anymore..._

**:3 :3 :3**

It was eerie, silent and possibly disturbing at this time of night; it was pitch-dark and cold as Kagome expected it would. But she had the moonlight watching over her and it helped her find her way through the city.

With her hood up, covering any feminine features, she didn't have a problem worrying about attackers or the cold; Kagome was glad right then and now that she kept the hoodie - her father's old piece of clothing.

She was also glad that she had a natural sense of direction - otherwise,she could easily get lost underneath all the city lights like it was a troublesome maze.

As she got closer and closer to her destination, Kagome's heartbeat quickened by the minute. She couldn't help but feel like a _badass _for attempting to break-and-enter and releasing the so-called 'prisoner'. She certainly was rebellious for doing such a thing; she didn't think that anyone else would have helped InuYasha escape over the years. Which was another thing that ticked Kagome off; that people saw him as a scientific experiment and nothing else. Well, that won't happen any longer.

_**You never know when a monster might strike... **_

Kagome shook her head violently, trying to rid herself of Naraku's accusatory voice; Naraku was completely wrong about InuYasha. He was no monster..

_He was someone that no one wanted to love; all because of his appearance, and his heritage_, Kagome reasoned with herself.

But that reason no longer applied to InuYasha; Kagome was in love with him, and she knew that nothing could ever change her feelings for him...

**:3 :3 :3**

To be completely honest, the security at the labratory sucked ass. There weren't even people guarding either inside or outside; she'd understand completely that no one would dare to raise suspicions by standing outside all night, but the inside of the building was completely empty. It was extremely sad to think that Kagome'd be the first person to break into this place without consequences being involved. Not that Kagome would complain about the lack of security NOW of all times...But the last thing she wanted to do was run into Naraku.

Shivers cascaded down her spine...Kagome shook her head, like she was trying to stop herself from thinking about him. _Don't screw this up, now, Kagome!_

She hardly even wanted to mess this one opportunity to free InuYasha up.. She had to focus on that; and in the end, everything will turn out to be okay. Naraku was the last person that she should be thinking about, much less worrying the hell over.

As the elevator dinged, signalling her that she was on the final floor (AKA, the basement), Kagome nearly scurried out of it - she was in a hurry. Of course she was in a hurry; she had to fight against time to get InuYasha the hell out of this building. At this thought, Kagome couldn't help but think that this could be a potential scene for a Mission Impossible movie.

Once she reached the end of the hallway, she quickly typed in the code and opened the door.. slowly..

She had to congratulate herself for finding the correct room - when it was so bloody dark. She had to thank karma for that. And let's hope that karma would let her and InuYasha leave intact...

"InuYasha?" Kagome whispered, as her eyes flickered across the glass wall to where said boy should be residing in...

Her heart was still moving quickly (probably the fastest its ever beaten before) as she slowly progressed her way to the door which connected the room Kagome was in and the room that InuYasha should be dwelling in.

All of a sudden, a plethora of nerve-wrecking emotions hit her terribly hard; she hoped that InuYasha would agree to run away with her.. she hoped that he wouldn't demean himself to this life of torture and despair within this very room that he had been locked in for years.

As she unlocked the door, she felt a breeze of air slam into her.. Kagome widened her eyes in astonishment; she could honestly feel arms tightly wrap around her in a protective embrace.. She could hear one's heartbeat - pounding against their chest as though it wanted to be freed... She could feel lips brush over the crown of her head, as his nose linger in her hair.. Which led Kagome to think of when was her hood pulled down? But that obviously didn't matter.. Because she only thought of being in his arms at that very moment..

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" InuYasha snarled, but he didn't make any move to place himself out of her embrace.

"I came here to set you free, InuYasha," Kagome whispered, her hands curling around the fabric of his kimono.

"Are you crazy? You could have gotten yourself killed!" InuYasha tightened his hold on Kagome, who didn't seem to object to his sudden, irrational actions.

All Kagome could think of right now was how worried he sounded.. Which led to one area of thinking; could he possibly care for her in return? Her cheeks flushed a ruby colour as she considered that possibility. It wouldn't be surprising if he loved her as more than a 'friend' would.. wouldn't it? To other people, it may as well be surprising to think that someone as rash and 'pig-headed' as InuYasha possessing romantic feelings for someone like her.

She also took note that he also sounded like he was afraid to lose her - which could also be proof that he obviously cared. It may as well be concern because he said 'you could have gotten yourself killed'. If that wasn't a small hint of concern.. Kagome didn't know what was.

Kagome's lips trembled, and her eyes glistened with tears. Inside, she was scolding herself for shedding tears at this very moment. But Kagome couldn't stop said tears from slipping past her eyes, that cascaded down her cheeks. Now what could her reasons for crying possibly be? That InuYasha liked her? That there may be a doubting voice in her mind that told her that InuYasha would never run away with her?

"You're not crying are you? NO **CRYING!**" InuYasha yelped, granted that it was not very loud - but it was loud enough to capture Kagome's attention. She pulled away, albeit reluctantly, from InuYasha's warm, appealing embrace; giving him a stubborn expression through her brown eyes.

She narrowed her eyes before pressing her lips into a straight line. "I'm not crying!"

"Well, you're blubbering!"

"I'm not blubbering!"

"Then stop crying like it's the end of the world, stupid!"

Kagome closed her eyes; she was tempted to dignify that insult with a response.. but that would only lead to more time being wasted. She **had **to get InuYasha out of here.. "Just.. please come with me, InuYasha."

"Come..with you?" His voice was hesitant, as though he was not sure what Kagome was asking him to do.

"Yes. I can't stand you being cooped up in here anymore. I can't seeing you hurt anymore." With that, even more tears slipped down her pale cheeks. Kagome couldn't help but sob as her breathing pattern drastically changed to a more anxious one.

But that all stopped once Kagome felt his hands cupping her cheeks - as his fingers delicately wiped away the streaks of water. She could see his honey eyes gazing into her own chocolate orbs.. Her heartbeat slowed down to a steady beat and she could feel herself calming down. InuYasha.. he was the key to helping her relax.. he was the key to stirring the passionate fire within her as well..

"Suppose Ican't let you leave without any protection," InuYasha murmured.

Kagome subconsciously latching her hands onto his cheeks, which felt unreasonably warm under her feminine touch. Kagome couldn't help but wonder if he was blushing.. It wouldn't be surprising to her if he had. She had seen him turn a dark crimson colour many times before...but this time, it wasn't out of embarrassment.

"Thank you, InuYasha."

Once again, his pride came back to prevent any sort of sentimentality from taking place. "Keh. Now where's the way out?"

Kagome held back the urge to sigh in discontent after hearing his demand. She knew it was too good to be true to be entirely emotional.. but, Kagome had to admit that his rough attitude toward her drew her to him. Enough said.

"There is no escape for you, filthy half-breed," A treacherous voice chuckled, in a sadistic tone...

Kagome couldn't help but latch on to InuYasha - desperate for his touch as the familiar voice penetrated her mind..

InuYasha instinctively wrapped both arms around Kagome in an attempt to protect her from the evil that watched the both of them from the shadows.

"So now you decided to show your ugly face, Naraku," InuYasha snorted.

"My, my, for someone who is as impudent as you, you have a way with words." Naraku's blood-red eyes glowed from the dark, as he slowly started to appear; with the deadly expression planted on his face, as well as his rod-straight posture - one could expect that he had been there for a long while..

"Ah, my dear Kagome; you seem to be more clever than I thought. Ishould have expected that you would have came to free him."

Kagome was disturbed, more-so than being frightened, at the moment. Yet, she did feel some sort of fear as his eyes glared into her own...She could tell that those haunting, red eyes were filled with desire. At once, Kagome tensed. Her eyes narrowed defensively as she told herself to not be afraid of him.. She could feel InuYasha by her side - holding her. She knew that nothing would happen to her; InuYasha would make sure of that.

"You should have, Naraku, but it appears that you're more ignorant than I thought."

Naraku laughed. "Yes, that is what your father thought too - in his final days. He paid the price for that."

Kagome could have sworn that her heart stopped. That all time had stopped.. "You.. you bastard,"Kagome whispered as she could feel more tears - of anguish and anger - pour down her cheeks... She knew it all along that he killed her father.. but after hearing him say something like that, it just made her heart ache feel more real and painful.

"Any other final words, before I set this room in flames?"

Kagome could hear InuYasha's growl... "You stupid, ugly son of a bitch! Don't even **think **about touching her..."

Kagome blinked in disbelief.. Did.. Did he just defend her?

As much as she wanted to ponder on this any further, she heard InuYasha cry out. "Watch out!"

Before Kagome knew it, she was thrown against the wall; she groaned as her head throbbed in pain, as did her whole back.. But Kagome had to ignore that pain as she heard InuYasha's voice.

"You all right?" Kagome could see the way his eyes looked at her.. He just protected her..But why? Why would..he do that? Kagome knew the answer before she could even think it.. InuYasha did care for her...

But before she could reply, he collapsed on her lap into an abyss of unconsciousness.

Kagome found herself worrying over him.. "InuYasha!" she called out his name, biting her lip as her gaze swept over his body - checking for injuries. But after a moment of silence, Kagome's heartbeat started to pace in an unsteady motion..."InuYasha!"

But those worried emotions turned into angry ones.. Kagome found herself glaring in Naraku's general direction. She glared into his eyes with as much anger and ferocity as she could muster. "You bastard!" She screamed, hardly containing the urge to control her temper. "You're so despicable," She muttered ferociously. There was so much more that she wanted to say.. but she couldn't..She didn't have the strength..

"I warned you Miss Kagome; you never know when a monster might strike." And with that, he disappeared into a thick, purple, miasma - laughing venomously which sent shivers down Kagome's spine once more..

Next thing she knew, she was surrounded by crimson flames.. Suddenly, Naraku's intentions were clear - as his words kept repeating themselves within the confinement of Kagome's brain. He intended to kill her and InuYasha..

But Kagome knew she would not give it up without a fight; not if she had anything to say about it.

**:3 :3 :3**

**So.. what did you think?**

**I threw some InuKag in here to keep you guys happy, so are you happy? :P **

**And now the plot comes into play; Kagome attempting to free InuYasha, but Naraku stops them. Will they find their way out? **

**I will give you guys triple the amount of cyber-cookies for now on if you review! XD**


	27. Mission Impossible VI: The Breakout

**I am just on a roll, people! ^_^ Inspiration's been hitting me hard lately, so I** **hope that you enjoy this update that you were so desperate to receive! XD**

**Taria Robotnik**: I suspect that I've left you hanging.. Hope you enjoy this chapter! ^_^ More InuKag for the win :)

**RefiraM**: Well, once she met InuYasha, she came to the conclusion that demons exist. And (claps) good point there! Naraku obviously wants to see what Kagome and InuYasha will do to get out of this mess..Murder is only the last resort on his list. LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**Seeker Heart**: Figured it'd be about time that Kagome starts to unleash her feminine courage. But yes, the fire will prove to be a dilemna to get out of.. wake up, InuYasha!

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Oh my gosh.. I'm sorry if I made you cry; that honestly wasn't my intention... Hope you'll be satisfied with this chapter :)

**Menarie**: Naraku is so badass! Truly incredible that a woman like Rumiko managed to capture the very essence of evil and create a man like that..Thank you for reviewing!

**TheRealInuyasha**: So..you're a health nutritionist as well as a writer, ja? NICE! XD...Naraku's a cold-hearted jerk, isn't he? But without a doubt, he's a brilliant villain. Thanks for reviewing!

**Status: **_Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, it's all Naraku's fault for being a lousy proofreader. LOL._

**Chapter 26**

It didn't take much to cause Kagome's inner conscience to start panicking; only an unconscious InuYasha and the burning flames of fire surrounding them managed to do just that. To be painfully honest, Kagome figured that something like this would happen.. Naraku showing up with every intention to either kill her or undress her with his eyes, InuYasha vowing that he'd protect her, and the fact that they were surrounded by a monstrous fire. Oh yes.. it definitely sounds like a party.

But all in all, this was the kind of adrenaline that Kagome hoped that she'd never run into; the kind where she'd have to fight for her very life. But did she really regret coming here to set InuYasha free? No. She loved him too much to start backing down on her word now.

As much as she wanted to think about how much she loved him, there were more dire things to worry about. The first thing that Kagome had to do was wake InuYasha up, and she prayed for dear life that he will do it in time...

"Come on, InuYasha, wake up!" Kagome shook InuYasha back and forth, as she desperately cried out to him. She ignored the tears that were sprinting down her cheeks, as she continued with her attempt to wake him up. "Please wake up, InuYasha!" As much as she felt worried about herself, she knew that InuYasha was all that she could think about.. He **protected** her against Naraku; he risked his life to make sure that Kagome was alright... It was a sweet gesture, sure, but that didn't stop Kagome from feverishly worrying over him.

Kagome's thoughts were temporarily put on hold as she felt him stir.. Kagome felt slightly relieved that InuYasha was alright..Her arms still embraced him protectively as he slowly changed his position: InuYasha lying comfortably on her lap, his golden eyes gazing into Kagome's beautiful brown orbs...

"InuYasha.. are you alright?" Kagome was certain that her lips were trembling once more. She was also certain that her eyes were brimmed with tears. But Kagome dismissed all thoughts of her own welfare as she awaited for his answer. Her heartbeat slowed down immensely, but Kagome knew she could still hear her heart beat drumming against her chest. She was still far off from being remotely calm though.

"Kagome..What happened?" He muttered, still not taking his gorgeous honey eyes off the woman that he was falling for...He could feel her cold hands pressing gently on his cheeks; InuYasha couldn't deny how good it felt - for a woman to touch him like this.

"Naraku hit you when you protected me and now he set the building on fire," Kagome sobbed; if only she hadn't been in the way.. then InuYasha wouldn't have fallen into a temporary sleep.. then they wouldn't have been in this predicament.

"Damn it all.." InuYasha growled; what was it about this woman that made his heartstrings pull? What was it about her that caused him to protect her? All he knew for certain now was that he had to protect her; she had risked her life to save his own..Clearly that meant something. This woman was an enigma..

_**Save...mate...**_ InuYasha's memories came flooding back to him; he remembered Naraku attacking Kagome.. he remembered pushing her out of the way... he remembered acknowledging how she meant to him...

"InuYasha?" Kagome breathed softly as more tears cascaded down her cheeks to land on InuYasha's.

"Don't.. don't cry anymore," InuYasha snarled, but the tone wasn't rude - instead, it was desperate and.. gentle. He laid a hand on top of Kagome's, and caressed it - giving her the comfort that she needed.

Kagome nodded, biting her lip to prevent it from trembling. She couldn't start crying again.. She already shed enough tears for InuYasha's sake.

Once this was settled, InuYasha started to move.. He started to pull himself up, using the strength that he had saved. In all honesty, he had no wounds that prevented him from accomplishing this goal.

Once InuYasha found himself standing on his feet, only then did he take a good look of his surroundings. His eyes narrowed as they flickered from one direction to the next; he snarled, clearly not happy with the current situation.

_**Protect mate... **_

Kagome witnessed InuYasha's internal struggle; she could see the angry expression in his eyes that she came to love..All of a sudden, Kagome couldn't feel her strength.. Her lungs had been inhaling the poisonous fumes of the smoke, and now she couldn't stop herself from coughing... Her vision started to blur..

Before she knew it, she could smell the musky scent which belonged to InuYasha; she could feel his powerful arms supporting her lower back and his hands resting gently on her waist.

"Don't faint on me now, you stupid girl."

For a brief moment, InuYasha released her...Kagome didn't know how long, but before she knew what happened, she found herself wrapped in a red blanket.. Kagome blinked. She knew that InuYasha must have given her his haori. It was thoughtful of him to do so...

"There. Now you'll have some protection."

Kagome's legs wobbled. She knew that she was about to collapse any moment. "InuYasha.."

InuYasha caught her in his secure, steady arms; one hand held her thighs - careful to not let his claws scratch her smooth, silky skin and his other hand caught Kagome's shoulder. InuYasha slightly readjusted her position within said strong arms so he was carrying her bridal style. He made sure that his grip on her wasn't too tight or too loose...He held her with a certain gentleness that even he wondered how he could possess it.

But before Kagome could thank him - which in this case had to do with everything that he had done for her - her eyes closed, and was sent off to a deep sleep...But Kagome no longer had a reason to feel worried. InuYasha was there with her.. that was all that she could ever ask for.

**:3 :3 :3**

To be honest, it wasn't all that bad being a captive within a castle. Though the same routine would eventually turn out to be redundant and exhausting, but there was always something to do. In Rin's case, she wasn't that picky in terms of entertainment. She knew she'd be just fine if she was surrounded by beautiful flowers all day, but never once did Rin take into account that wish would certainly come true for her.

But the excitement that came along with being a captive.. it was a little too exciting for Rin. When she had been chased by those wolves, she was certain that she was going to die. She was certain that her life would end at the young age of seventeen. But Rin wasn't really upset about that; considering that she never really had anything to lose. Her real parents didn't want her. She had a foster family who merely wanted her to be a prodigy and could really care less of how she felt. She knew they didn't really love her, once she had been given countless material items like clothes, candy, electronics...

Rin's almond eyes opened and she knew that she was still alive.. She was not dead - as she thought she'd be. She was confused as to how she was lying within the comforts of the silk bed she found herself in before.. But Rin had a feeling she knew who carried her there.

"Are you alright?"

For some reason, Rin's heart soared; it was like she was.. pleased that he was there with her.

And so, Sesshomaru was there - sitting with one leg crossed over the other, at the opposite side of the room. Rin couldn't help but oggle him.. She was ashamed of doing such a thing, but she couldn't help it. He was.. indeed handsome with those crysal eyes piercing into her soul, the magenta markings painted on his cheeks - perfectly symmetrical and parallel to each other, his iridescent, ivory hair cascading down his shoulders...

Rin mentally shook her head.. What was the matter with her? She wouldn't blame Sesshomaru for thinking that she was extremely perverted.. After all, she did have some less than appropriate fantasies whilst during her stay at the castle. Honestly, she should feel ashamed that she had these naughty thoughts.

"I think so," Rin said. She bit her lip; she was hesitant to ask the one question that would surely give her a highly intelligable response.. But.. why should she feel scared about wanting to know the answers?

_Why did he save me?_

_Why am I still here -without a purpose?_

_Am I meant to be a prisoner? Am I meant to be trapped here forever?_

These questions haunted her for the past few days; they seeked every opportunity to tease and taunt her...

"But why did you save me?" Rin asked softly. She hadn't been sure she could expect an answer until she actually asked the question...

Secretly - unknown to Rin - Sesshomaru had wondered that very same question.. He honestly didn't have an answer as to why he saved her in particular. For some reason, he had taken a.. liking to her. Though he despised all humans, this one seemed to make him forget everything he assumed about them. This girl was certainly different...

He had fallen for a human only one time and it had been five hundred years ago. He was the lord of the West and she was the common, villager girl. He had been seeking answers as to why he had been left with the Tenseiga while she had been the one to unknowingly light the path for him.. Her name.. was Rinna.

Rinna was innocent, sweet, kind, nurturing.. everything that Sesshomaru himself wasn't. That girl had managed to melt his icy heart; Sesshomaru had been planning to make her his wife. Until the night he discovered she had been murdered.. No one in the West took it kindly that he was to take a human woman for a mate; Sesshomaru paid the price for his foolishness. How could he ever hope to love someone of the weaker race? Sesshomaru had been devastated, but he had learned that lesson. Love was for the weak.

He was never one to believe in reincarnations either; until he had seen this girl.. Who looked like a carbon copy of Rinna. She had the same porcelain skin, the same almond eyes that were filled with life and cheerfulness, she had the same pouty, pink lips...

"This Sesshomaru does not know why." But that was all that he'd say.. much to Rin's disappointment.

"Then... do you know when I'm allowed to leave?"

Sesshomaru asked himself this question as well.. when he would let this woman go...At first Sesshomaru wanted to know if she was Rinna.. but now that he had his confirmation, what reason could he possibly have to keep her there? Why was he so intent on keeping her?

"I'm sorry, but I really just want to go home. My friends are probably wondering where I am and.." Rin was about to say that her foster parents would be worried about her.. Rin tore her gaze from Sesshomaru's; who was looking at her with curiosity...

"Please. I just want to go home," Rin whimpered, feeling tears forming in the brims of her eyelids. She never had much time to cry about anything; simply because she didn't dwell on the fact well enough that she was trapped in a castle with some stranger..

"This Sesshomaru will grant this request," Sesshomaru replied sternly; he didn't understand why this girl was crying.. it was as though.. No. She was not Rinna. Rinna would never shed tears...but this girl here, she wasn't afraid to let them fall. At first glimpse, he would have thought that she was weak. But after feeling the need to comfort her - for some strange reason - he decided that he should grant her wish.

Maybe after this young woman went home would he be at peace. Maybe then he would no longer be tormented over the loss of his betrothed.

But Sesshomaru's instincts told him that this was not the case.

**:3 :3 :3**

All in all, Kagome felt at peace.. Maybe it was because of the steady beat of raindrops that rained down from heaven. Maybe it was because.. she was in love with InuYasha. Yes. The last thing that she said was definitely the reason..

Even though she had awoken from her deep sleep calm and relaxed, she woke up feeling cold as well. Shivers ran down her spine as her eyesight adjusted to the darkness.. Just where was she?

She widened her eyes, while her heartbeat drastically increased its pace. She could only hope that InuYasha and herself had escaped...

Kagome sat up abruptly, trying so desperately to calm down.

"About time you woke up, sleepy-head."

Kagome blinked, and she was sorely tempted to dignify this with a response. But Kagome was not in the mood. In fact, after awakening, Kagome still felt tired. In other words, it could have been a couple of hours since they had encountered Naraku.

"Where are we?" Kagome wondered out loud, as she tightened her hold on the haori that covered her. Even though it had protected her from the fire, Kagome still felt frozen. She shivered, as she attempted to rub her poor chest.

"You're safe; that's all that matters."

It was then she heard footsteps. She looked toward the source of the sound, and she knew then that InuYasha sat down beside her...Before Kagome herself knew what was going on, she felt his arms surrounding her - and she found herself being embraced by InuYasha...

She couldn't help but flush.. Lately, he did seem to show a more sensitive side to himself.. Not that Kagome'd complain, but she thought that it was sweet that InuYasha was starting to open up to her about his feelings.

Kagome couldn't help but sigh in contentment as she felt his body heat transfer to her nearly-frozen skin. She leaned in closer, to take in all the heat she could get. "Thank you InuYasha," Kagome smiled against his chest - she could even tell that he's nervous based on the speed of his heart.

"Keh."

"InuYasha?"

"What is it now?"

Did he have to sound so annoyed? Well.. Kagome kind of had him flustered... Did she expect him to change? "How does it feel to be free?"

"I don't feel, wench."

Kagome chuckled. She didn't believe a single word he said.. she knew that wasn't true. She knew that he had some feelings for her..."But it feels good, doesn't it? To be free from Naraku?"

InuYasha grunted, but he didn't say anything to contribute to the conversation... He knew that he'd rather lay his chin on top of Kagome's head, whilst inhaling her.. beautiful scent. He knew that he'd rather keep his private life a secret; he didn't feel like she had a right to know about all the pain and agony he went through.. but he did tell her some parts of his past. He wanted to protect her; and deep, deep down.. he wanted to love her.

**:3 :3 :3**

**So.. Did you guys like this chapter? I even threw in some Rin and Fluffy - I'm just THAT desperate. LOL. **

**But, as always, here are your cyber-cookies ( I ordered them especially for you! XD)**

**Just give a review; let me know what you think, 'kay? :)**


	28. Love In The Shape Of Confessions

**Seriously, I can't stress this out enough... YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME! XD **

**You guys read and review - it seriously makes my day.. Excuse me for being so sentimental, but it's super cute ^_^ **

**You earn the right to demand as many cyber-cookies (or any other treat that's cyber) as you like for the remainder of the story :)**

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I'm really giving you guys the InuKag moments.. Who knows when their first kiss is though...**

**Warm-Amber92**: I hoped that you'd like that fluff :) I actually tried to include as much fluffiness as possible. (not Sesshy fluffy) But you know what I mean. LOL. But yes, InuYasha will kick Naraku's rearend.. eventually.. But for now, just enjoy the romance I've planned for this chapter :)

**DinosaursgoRawr101**: Your name is super cute! :3 Did you really like the Rin and Sesshy part? Believe it or not, I thought I could have written it way better... Let's just say that was a last-minute storyline for the chapter. And for someone who hasn't had any romantic conquests, I think I'm doing a good job at this.. am I right? XD Kudos to you for reviewing :)

**RefiraM**: Um.. is the 'hohoho' thing at the beginning a laugh? 0_0... Anyways, yes, they've made it out alive and well; only good things get to happen to them! XD Sango and Miroku are getting closer to one another.. but you're right - it's totally a weird relationship. :P

**Menarie**: Yep - we haven't heard from them like for what; five chapters? XD To be honest, I couldn't think of anything classier than Rinna. LOL. But if you inhale all of those cookies, you are going to get sick :P But then again, I was the one that offered them to you.. he he.

**Taria Robotnik**: So glad to know that you loved it :) I hope I'll hear from you again soon! ^_^

**TheRealInuyasha**: I kind of laughed after I read your review about Mission Impossible...To be honest, I just watched the 4th one last night XD I only watched it because it had Tom Cruise (so I could mock him, LOL).. Thanks, once again, for reviewing! :)

**Status: **_Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, it's Naraku's fault for being a crappy proofreader! XD_

**Chapter 27**

_What a complete jerk! _

That thought repeated itself continuously, with no rest or any intentions of stopping.. In fact, that was all that Kagome could think about.

She was angry - there was no doubt about that. But aside from the fury that she would unleash upon any innocent bystander, Kagome also felt.. hurt.

At times like these, Kagome was willing to admit what she said to InuYasha was wrong.. God must truly despise her for instigating another fight... A fight that she didn't even want to start in the first place.

What had she been thinking - asking him more about his past? And how could she hope to assume how his life had been? If he didn't want to talk about it.. she had no right demanding answers. But that was how she behaved not even an hour ago.

She regretted her actions toward him, after he dumped her at her house, and blatantly told her.. he never wanted to see her again.

All because of what though?

Denying his protection?

Denying his feelings for her?

She had to admit that she said things that she absolutely did not mean.. Not in a million years.

InuYasha told her that she was his.. and Kagome said she didn't belong to anyone; she was her own person and nothing was going to change that. But how could she come up with something different to say?

Tears were forming in the brims of her eyelids. She had to admit.. she was completely miserable at that moment. How did everything become so wrong?

Kagome wished that she would take back everything that she said to him; back then, she hadn't even noticed how cruel she sounded...

_"Why would I ever belong to someone like you?" _Now that was simply out of character.. But why she hadn't even thought about it until now was a complete enigma. She simply was caught up in the heat of the moment.

Kagome was devastated all but too soon when she envisioned his expression when she said those words. She had never seen as much pain and agony in those golden orbs before.. Maybe he had come to accept her for all that she was worth over time.

But then Kagome had to screw it all up by rejecting him. Like he was a worthless half-breed. Who finally held some sort of hope that she wouldn't ever think that way about him; it was like he believed those words she told him...

_"You wanna play like that? Fine! Get the hell out of my sight!" _

Kagome whimpered, hearing his voice fracturing... She could even tell that he sounded upset..

There had been one opportunity to tell him how she felt about him.. But the conversation itself, for lack of a better term, spiralled out of control. There had been too much anger.. too much stress. After encountering Naraku, who attempted to kill them, why wouldn't they? Well, InuYasha had suffered the most; he was the one who had to endure Naraku's sadistic torture methods that dealt with excruciating pain and despair - physically and probably mentally.

Kagome laid down on her stomach, hiding her face - streaming with tears - in the softness of her pillow. Was apologizing out of the question now?

There was no doubt that he hated her now...

And how did this conversation lead to a brutal seperation - with all knots tied?

The conversation dealing with Koga; that was how it happened.

The gist of it was that Kagome had supposed 'feelings' for him and that was what stopped Koga from breaking the glass wall seperating the two. Kagome accused him of being jealous, but couldn't help but feel a little flattered, but then one thing led to another. Any bit of trust that InuYasha had for her.. it was now gone.

She couldn't help but cry her heart out; she loved InuYasha and she threw away any chance she had to make him feel loved...

_"At least Koga has decency to treat a woman with respect! At least he cares about me!"_

_"I HATE YOU, INUYASHA!"_

Oh, God.. how could Kagome say that to him?

_"Well, he's an idiot; how could someone like him possibly see anything attractive in you?" _Sure, what InuYasha said to her hurt her, but that wasn't what Kagome found herself being concerned about. She was more concerned about what she told him.

She wouldn't blame InuYasha for hating her right now.

After all, she felt utterly disgusted with herself.. It was like she was possessed by another entity; like there was a darker side to her that she never knew before.

"Kagome?" The gentle, compassionate voice of her mother interrupted her period of sorrow. Kagome wasn't sure if she should welcome the distraction. Though.. thinking about the fight she had with InuYasha certainly complicated things with her mind.

"Kagome, is everything alright?" This time, she heard her mother come inside her room. She did not even lift a finger to stop her. Instead, she said nothing; there were no words she could find to tell her parent now. "What happened, baby?"

It wasn't like Kagome wanted to tell Sakura what happened; but after hearing how patient she was being with her daughter, Kagome thought twice about ignoring her attempts to comfort her. She was there for her her.. just like she had been when Surei had died..

The tears for her father's death had been expressed, but now Kagome had felt the need to cry; her father had been murdered. He had been taken away from them...

On top of that, InuYasha hated her now.

"InuYasha hates me!" Kagome cried out, all the sorrow she felt was being drawn out of her through tears.

"He can't possibly hate you," Sakura rubbed her daughter's back gently, as an attempt to calm her and appease her. She had never met this InuYasha, but she was certain that he was the one man that made her dearest Kagome happy.

"W-we had a b-big fight and now h-he says he hates me," Kagome sobbed.

"What was the argument about?"

Kagome swallowed, her heartbeat drastically decreased to a slow, steady beat. Her mother had always been a good listener and now.. it seemed to be the best time to explain the events. Though she was not sure how much explanations her mother could handle; such as the fact that Naraku had attempted to kill her and InuYasha. She had to leave that part out for now...

"I wanted to know m-more about h-him and.. he was u-u-upset that I kissed Koga - just to make them stop fighting. I was s-s-so careless to think he had respect for me."

"Kagome, you are not careless. You care for him, don't you?"

There was no hesitation in her reply. There was no doubt in her voice. "I care for him very much," Kagome murmured. No use lying to her mother about something like that.. she'd know if she had fallen in love with someone. "I don't want to lose him."

"Then keep him close, Kagome. I know how happy you are when you are with him - even if I haven't witnessed your interactions. As long as you are happy, Kagome, and as long as you know what the right thing to do.. I will be happy too."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Now let me tell you about the time your father proposed to me. Though before, we had been fighting like cats and dogs. I thought it wouldn't possibly work out. But after I've accepted his proposal under the Sacred Tree, I knew I had to make this work. Communication was the key to helping our marriage work. In any case, I treasured the time I had with him very much."

Kagome then knew what she had to do.. She had to tell him how she felt; she could no longer hold back her feelings of love for him.. In any case, she had to treasure the time she spent with him. Knowing that Kagome would never want to lose him.. she had to go and prove it.

"Now how about you and give him another chance?"

"I will, Mama," Kagome breathed in and out calmly.. though her nerves were slowly increasing. But she wasn't going to be afraid anymore; she couldn't hold back on anyone else's account.

"My dear Kagome.. you are my dear, sweet Kagome.."

And the other thing she planned to do.. was make her mother happy.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome couldn't explain why she had the feeling that she knew where InuYasha was. There was no logical explanation. She just knew..

She found herself sprinting through the woods - trying to find her way through the grey mist.. She hoped that she wouldn't find herself lost. She hoped with all her heart that she'd see InuYasha again; she hoped that she'd have the chance to tell him that she loved him. She would never give up...

"InuYasha!" Kagome called out urgently, using half of her strength to call out for him.

She stopped for one moment, to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest in a way she had never felt before. But then again, there were feelings that she never claimed to have before.. when she met InuYasha.

"InuYasha!" Of course there was this small agonizing feeling called doubt that would try to stop her. Doubt was telling her that InuYasha no longer liked her.. no longer caring for her as an individual.. as a friend... as a lover.

Before Kagome knew it, she tripped on a large tree root and found herself on the ground. She felt numb; she did not feel any pain throughout her body - as quick as it spread through her legs.

Her strength was weak.. She couldn't find herself to stand up again.

"InuYasha.. I am so sorry.." Kagome muttered.. Even if InuYasha was not around... she had to say those words. She just had to tell him she loved him! Nothing should be able to stop her now!

"I'm sorry for being so weak. I'm sorry for being so hopeless. I'm sorry about what I told you!" Kagome cried out.. She felt raindrops envelop her in an icy embrace, yet at the moment Kagome couldn't tell the difference between hot and cold. Her lips were trembling, her skin was turning a ghastly pale colour.

"Kagome?" It was a whisper, but Kagome could still hear it loud and clear. It was the only sound she could hear...

She widened her eyes as she then knew who spoke her name. Her heart began to skip a beat.

"InuYasha.." Kagome looked up, and at once she could see the golden orbs of light that she loved so much. She saw the man that she loved with all of her heart - gazing in her eyes...

At once, she felt the strength to pull herself up... She knew that InuYasha was the only one who would make her feel such powerful feelings.

At once, she felt herself being pulled into his arms... The arms that held her with love and acceptance.

"InuYasha?" Her voice felt hoarse and parched; only then did she feel sore and exhausted.. She had used the remainder of her strength to find him. Kagome was glad that she did. Her lips were dry - she licked them, but they were still cracked.. Her throat was in dire need of water. But Kagome never paid attention to herself. She only focused on InuYasha; that was all that mattered at this point.

"Do you have any idea how much those words hurt?" InuYasha growled, tightening his protective yet loving hold on Kagome.

"I never meant what I said, InuYasha... I'm terribly sorry," Kagome apologized, and the urge to shed tears of regret and sorrow was starting to overwhelm her. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Please don't cry anymore.." His lips brushed against her forehead. "Just.. stay still and let me take care of you."

Then, Kagome couldn't take it anymore.. "I love you, InuYasha." As much as she wanted to touch his lips with her own, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was taking a step forward in their relationship; it was a risk she had to take. Even if those steps were slow, she would do everything in her power to make sure that InuYasha felt loved.

That was the one reassurance that helped her fall into a heavenly sleep...

**:3 :3 :3**

**I sincerely hope you guys loved the chapter! Kagome finally tells him that she loves him :) **

**AWWWW!**

**I seriously recommending listening to the song True Love by May Second. It truly helped me finish writing this.. **

**Now, here are some cyber-cookies; those who review, get some. Okay, that sounded wrong.. 0_0 But you know where I'm getting at. Right? XD**

**Just let me know what you think ^_^**


	29. Show Me How You Care

**Well, folks, chapter 30 is almost here! And that means that this saga is nearly over... Thus a new one will begin ^_^**

**And if anyone got sick from the overdose of cyber-cookies, here is some cyber-medicine to help you get better! I'm really sorry ^_^**

**Plus, on a side note, congrats goes to Sunrise Phoenix for being reviewer 150! :) Let's see if we can get up to 200 by chapter 50! XD**

**Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter :)**

**Warm-Amber**: It's incredible how anger can mess up your conscience, right? Kagome nearly turned into the Incredible Hulk... But I'm glad she corrected her mistakes too; after all if she hadn't, then she wouldn't have proclaimed her love for InuYasha, right? XD Glad to make you happy on that :) Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

**Taria Robotnik**:I see that you are finally satisifed :) Thank you for reviewing :)

**Kelli**: Yeah, I hate cliffhangers, but I decided to split this into two parts. But I hope you'll enjoy it though! And thank you so much for saying that - you're making me blush! XD Hope this'll make your day :D

**Menarie**: Oh my gosh, I'm sorry - here's some medicine! How about some brownies NEXT chapter. Okay? Okay...

**Seeker Heart**: Let's just say for arguments' sake that it was an argument. An argument that went way out of control. 0_0 But hey - I'm so glad you loved the chapter :)

**TheRealInuyasha**: You're really insightful, you know that? Thanks for reviewing :D

**Opalbrat**: Thank you so much for reviewing :P

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Don't you hate it when the internet is acting dumb? :P Trust me - that happened to me way too many times to count. :P But in this story... I made Kagome an only child. :P So... anyways, thanks for reviewing :3

**CityOfFallenAshes**: For the record, 'kawaii' means 'cute' in Japanese... :P But thank you so much for reviewing; you really make me happy :D

**DinosaursgoRawr101**: Thank you :) I'm actually considering to be a writer when I head into university...Either that or acting. :) Anyways, kudos to you for listening to that song..I practically teared up when I heard it! :P As for InuKag's first kiss.. maybe it will be this chapter ;)

**xsashi**: Thank you very much! Hope to hear from you again :)

**Black Phantom Of The Shadows**: Oh my gosh; thank you so much for reviewing! Trust me - I don't even go on fanfiction as much either...:)

**Status: **_Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! :)_

**Chapter 28**

The room was dark, eerie and silent - as it always had been. Not even the moonlight had the luxury to shine through the darkness. No signs of conversation took place in this room.. Unless circumstances called for it. But this circumstance was different altogether. Not only was the lone occupant of the room upset, but he was moreso than usual. He was in a terrible mood - one of those moods that were enough to kill someone with the look of the eye.

_You're so despicable! _Those words rang through Naraku's mind repeatedly; they annoyed him immensely...

He narrowed his bloodshot eyes discontentedly. How that wench insulted him to his face was courageous, but that also held another meaning.

Naraku growled. Why that woman would be content to love a half-breed like InuYasha was beyond his understanding.. His blood boiled and his rage was getting more difficult to contain. He was not pleased with how things turned out; the half-breed and the woman had gotten away as well, to make matters worse.

_She will be mine.. This time I am certain of it... _Before Naraku could contemplate his next move, he could sense Bankotsu near.

"What troubles you, Bankotsu?" Naraku spoke with a clear tone - his anger could easily be detected. There was hell to pay, but Bankotsu was not afraid of Naraku.

"Why don't you explain to me what the hell's going on?" Bankotsu demanded, his cobalt eyes also filled with suspicion and rage. "Don't even think about acting like a self-righteous bastard; keeping me in the dark. What's the deal with this InuYasha?" Naraku certainly did not have any rights keeping any secrets from him.

Naraku chuckled venomously, his tone everything but pretentious..."I really don't like to be questioned like that, Bankotsu. But if you insist in being involved, then I suggest you head along to the Northern Forest. The half-breed known as InuYasha will be there. Kill him where he lies and take the woman that he is guarding."

Bankotsu was more suspicious than anything else, but he dared not to question Naraku's orders at this point. Though he was certainly not afraid of him, this chance to prove he had the guts to slaughter countless beings without a guilty conscience was his only one. This was the one chance he had at freedom - without being involved directly in Naraku's corner anymore. "Who is this woman?"

"Kagome Higurashi - the only child of Surei Higurashi. The one who discovered InuYasha and unsealed him from his fate."

_I see. So he must be in love with this wretched girl, _Bankotsu came to this conclusion, based on the fact that InuYasha's fate was to die and that Naraku would kidnap her for no other apparent reason.

But there must be more to that girl.. otherwise, why would Naraku be wasting his time?

**:3 :3 :3**

When Kagome woke up, she could honestly say that sleep did not evade her this time around; it was as though sleep was her friend and not an enemy anymore. She felt refreshed and she also had to say that she felt great. She was calm, relaxed and perfectly comfortable - as she heard the steady beat of a heart underneath her...She felt safe; she could feel his arms wrapped around her in a lascivious yet loving cradle. It was then that Kagome realized that she was in the arms of her guardian angel: InuYasha. It was then that she knew that she didn't want to be anywhere else.

It was only until this moment when she remembered everything; the hurtful words she had used to gain the upperhand in their recent argument, how InuYasha responded to them...As much as Kagome wanted to forget about it, she couldn't. Though asking for forgiveness was something that she planned to do. Kagome knew that InuYasha couldn't possibly hate her.. after all, she was being held tightly to his chest in a protective stance. She knew how rare it was for him to say sentimental words that come from the heart and when he did say something sweet, it made the moment even sweeter.

Then she remembered where she was. The last thing Kagome knew was that she was running in the rain, desperate to find InuYasha. She remembered how expeditious her heart was when it beat against her chest. She could still remember the regret and all the other repressed emotions she kept to herself for so long.. She remembered collapsing into InuYasha's body. But that was all.. at least, to her knowledge anyway.

Kagome slowly adjusted her body position, yet it was unsurprising that his grip on her waist did not loosen. As a matter of fact, his nose and his lips were buried in her raven hair, and his hands lingered on her skin.

_Stay, _was the message that was supposed to be read loud and clear. Kagome knew it... Thus, she did not mind to comply to InuYasha's request. Not to mention she couldn't help enjoying the delightful shivers cascading down her spine as his lips brushed her forehead lightly.

"InuYasha..." Kagome hummed happily, as she felt his arms pull her closer to him.

"How are you feeling?" It was sweet - incredibly sweet at that - that he was asking her about her... And Kagome couldn't help but think he wouldn't stop caring for her.

"I'm fine. But how are you?"

Kagome knew that this conversation was going through uncharted territory; she knew it was, judging from the momentary silence before InuYasha replied back to her. It was the topic of discussion that they should discuss. Otherwise, this would be extremely awkward...Not that it is right now... "Why should you care? I'm just a dirty half-breed." He grumbled.

"Listen, InuYasha. I'm really sorry about what I said before." It was meant to be a true, genuine apology. Kagome prayed that InuYasha believed her. "I really care for you," Kagome could feel tears slipping down her cheeks...but she didn't try to stop them. "I still feel horrible for telling you off like that; it wasn't ever your fault..It hadn't even been my place to judge you and I hurt you. I'm really sorry, InuYasha," Kagome sobbed, not bothering to hold back the sorrow she repressed since the argument with InuYasha. "But.. I won't blame you if you hate me. After all I did to you..Maybe I should have stayed behind."

"Stop it. Don't you dare apologize," InuYasha interrupted. "I wouldn't run away. Not without you." Kagome widened her eyes in surprise; he forgave her...

"InuYasha..."

"Just.. shut up and listen. I'm only gonna say this once. As long as you're with me, you'll always be safe."

Kagome could have sworn that her heart stopped beating...To be honest, this was the most romantic thing InuYasha had ever said to her; it was incredibly sweet how he valued her life even more than his own. But Kagome wanted him to know how she felt about him. "Thank you, InuYasha."

"Kagome?"

She had been serenaded by his words before and now the same feeling took hold of her stomach as butterflies were starting to fly within her. "Yes?"

"Did.. you mean what you said before?" Kagome had a feeling that he was talking about the time when she said that she loved him...For a moment, she would have dodged the question but Kagome realized she couldn't. She wanted him to know how she felt, after all. When she repeated the question in her mind, she noticed that he wanted to be reassured. He didn't want her to hate him...

"Yes. I love you, InuYasha."

Even though Kagome knew that he couldn't say those words, he would show her how he felt. That was enough for Kagome.

**:3 :3 :3**

Even though loose ends between them were tied, Kagome still felt the need to explain herself. But the problem was, how would she start the conversation? What words could she possibly use that'd sound right and not hurtful? Then again, maybe InuYasha wasn't ready to talk about his past. Maybe he wasn't ready for a relationship. Maybe Kagome wasn't ready to talk about what happened in her life that was so... hurtful. But those doubts were flushed down the toilet. Kagome was indeed ready to tell InuYasha about her past; communication was indeed the key to a successful relationship. And in terms of relationships, Kagome knew she was willing to start one with InuYasha.

Kagome's focus was on this - instead of the fact that she was cold and shivering. As well as sneezing.

"You alright?" InuYasha asked, sitting quite close to her as the two gazed into the fire - which InuYasha had managed to build.

Kagome gave him a reassuring smile; her chocolate brown eyes were glowing with warmth. "Yeah, but I'm guessing that someone's probably gossiping about me." She meant that last part as a joke, but she didn't see an amused smirk on InuYasha's handsome facial features or the gleam in his golden hues.

Instead, InuYasha dismissed the idea entirely; he scoffed as he began unwrapping his haori to place on Kagome's shoulders. "Idiot. Who would gossip about you?"

"As long as I'm with you, no one would," Kagome instinctively kissed InuYasha on the cheek, however brief it was. A pink blush covered InuYasha's cheeks, but he had done nothing to push Kagome away. Though he had to admit to himself, secretly, that he loved the feel of her lips. And he also wondered what it would be like to cover those rosy lips with his own...

It was at that moment that amber eyes met dark eyes with nothing but the eery glow of the red flames to see each other...

Both of their hearts slowed down in anticipation...

Both of their cheeks were painted the colour of red...

Neither of them looked away in embarrassment...Instead, they gazed into each other's eyes with adoration.

It was then that both of them were tempted... Yet Kagome was the one that wanted to try it first. She leaned in closer, although she had done so slowly..

But, she was not the one to initiate the kiss first.. It was InuYasha. Warm lips covered Kagome's, and his hands cradled her cheeks delicately as he kissed her. There was no apt description as to how amazing the kiss was.. It was romantic - seeing that he was being gentle with her. It was dizzying and electrifying, considering that Kagome had never been kissed before, and delightful shivers ran down her spine. It felt incredible...Kagome ran her fingers through InuYasha's soft, ivory hair as she moaned into the kiss. Kagome nearly stopped breathing when she felt his claws slowly trace her skin, as his hands moved down her cheeks to her neck.. to her arms and down to her curves where he squeezed lightly. In InuYasha's mind, Kagome was the one; she tasted as delicious as she was by appearances, and he would never deceive himself into thinking that her lips tasted like vanilla...

When Kagome pulled away, for air, she could feel the intensity between them.. she could feel the sexual tension mounting; it was almost to the point of being unable to keep this kiss innocent and sweet. Judging from the intense expression in his eyes, she figured that he wanted more as well..

Kagome kissed him, though this time, it was more feverish and passionate. It was not chaste like the previous kiss shared between them. All the love and lust she held for this man, she gave it all to him. All attraction and reciprocated sentimentality that InuYasha held for Kagome, he returned with just as much passion. Their lips danced and never once did they clash in an awkward way...

Kagome knew she was in heaven...InuYasha thought he was going straight to hell for tainting a pure, innocent woman, but he could not resist.

InuYasha tore his lips from the passionate kiss and planted them on her neck. His nose briefly detected the alluring scent of vanilla.. She smelled too tempting..

"InuYasha," She mewed, as his hands roamed her body - exploring every uncharted destination.

After spending some time kissing, licking and sucking her neck, he pulled back to return his lips to her own... She was perfect...He was certain that she wanted more...

But InuYasha's instincts were on high alert; something was up...

That was when he pulled away from Kagome.

"InuYasha?" She noticed that InuYasha had pushed herself behind him in a protective stance; judging from the defensive, angry expression planted on his face, Kagome knew that something was wrong.

InuYasha tightened hands into fists, narrowed his eyes and growled, "Stay behind me." Simply put, that was all that he'd tell her. His priority was to keep Kagome safe and that was what he'd do.

However, the next moment would be proven to be gruesome; all InuYasha felt was pain in his chest, which spread to the rest of his body. He felt like he couldn't move.. As he lay unconscious on the ground, Kagome was devastated; she cried out his name as she witnessed what had just happened. Her heart was beating furiously against her chest and her blood began to boil. She realized that InuYasha was still breathing as she put an ear to his chest. His heart was still beating.. But something had to be done to keep it that way.

A plethora of emotions ran through Kagome at this time. She was worried as hell when she saw InuYasha fall down. Now she was angry.. Angry because someone had tried to kill her InuYasha. Could it be Naraku?

However, Kagome's intuition told her that it wasn't. It was someone else...

Then Kagome saw him; the man dressed in a black leather jacket and dark jeans with cold, azure eyes, bronze skin, lips that were twisted together in the form of an evil smile. There was no doubt about it - she saw this man before.. Shivers ran down her spine and she was anxious to be sure. But Kagome would never allow him to see her fear. She had to be strong - for InuYasha's sake.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked, trying to sound courageous and brave.

"You don't remember me, do you love?" He chuckled with a grave tone, as he progressed closer to her...

"I don't think you'd be worth remembering," Kagome replied plainly, as she moved back into the cavern. She had to lead him away from InuYasha. Yet it appeared that this man did not want InuYasha at all; he did not even spare one glance in his direction.

But once Kagome backed into the cave wall, she knew that she was trapped. Her heartbeat was loud.. She was even certain that the other guy could even hear it. She found herself out of breath.. Kagome was the prey and he was the predator.

"You have some nerve talking to me like that," He seethed, as any sign of amusement was long gone from his blue eyes. Then he noticed the fearful expression in her brown eyes. "You know, I don't understand how Naraku likes you. Sure you're pretty, but you're not exactly an original."

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What did he mean by that? Not that she'd ever believe him on what he said.. As much as she wanted to dwell on those words, she felt a rough hand clasp underneath her jaw. Kagome tensed. She was not comfortable to let this man touch her...There was only one man allowed to touch her; the man that she loved.

Yet Bankotsu's touch drained her strength, as one finger traced her skin in a delicate pattern. She nearly stopped breathing altogether when it slipped down to her pulse in her neck.

_InuYasha..._ Kagome hoped that he would come to save her, but then she knew that she had to be strong; she had to save herself this time around, and then save InuYasha. She was tired of being weak, hopeless and useless...

Thus Kagome had to do what she could do; that meant exploiting his weakness. What was the one part of his anatomy that would scream out vulnerability? Kagome knew that men, such as this one, had huge egos - and as much as Kagome wanted to hurt his pride, she knew that he would not hesitate to kill her. Physically, she would have no chance of defending herself. But she had to get herself out of this mess.

A sudden realization hit Kagome's mind; she had to hit him where he'd least expect it. Granted, she wasn't a fighter and there wasn't that much light helping her. So she had to rely on luck to save her now.

"So the woman is frightened, is she? I can smell it..." He pressed his nose to her neck, as though he had the capability to sniff out her emotions.

_Now!_ Kagome screamed to herself, as she knew by instinct that the opportune moment was now hers. With as much strength as she could muster up, Kagome kneed Bankotsu in the crotch. Deadly hard.

Considering that he was the one who let his guard down by her very presence, Kagome didn't feel the least bit shocked. She knew that this was the type of man to be weakened by women: she praised herself for distracting him for this long.

As Bankotsu groaned in pain, Kagome took the chance to run... However, she did not count on him stopping her using brute strength. Using his one hand to grip tightly on her wrist, he pulled her back toward the wall. Kagome yelped, as her head started to ache and her body sinking downward to the floor.

"So you think you could run away from me? I have to say though, you've got some balls trying to pull that off, you little bitch," Bankotsu snarled as he kneeled on the floor to stare coldly into Kagome's eyes with hatred. He yanked firmly on her long, raven locks of hair to have her stare face-to-face with his own...

"You're lucky that Naraku wants you; otherwise, I'd have to kill you."

_Naraku.. wants me?_ Kagome thought, as she bit her lip tightly. She could taste the blood within moments as her brown eyes continued to look into Bankotsu's cruel ones. A mixture of emotions flickered within her; she felt disturbed, she felt angry and she felt afraid.. Again, Kagome berated herself for putting herself into this situation without any strategies. If this was Naraku, Kagome knew that she wouldn't be afraid.. He would toy with her emotions, but he would not kill her. He would touch her in a disgusting manner, but that was all that he'd do.

"So.. Naraku wants me alive; even if that wasn't the case, would you even try to kill me?"

Though Kagome was pleased that she was starting to draw the inner strength that she never knew she had, she also knew that it was a bad idea to test him.. Kagome knew that this man was capable of doing anything to her. Even though Kagome knew this to be true, she still didn't regret saying this.

Bankotsu was pissed - far more than anything else. How dare this wretched woman talk to him like that? He also realized how Naraku felt something for this wench.. She had a fighting spirit. But as much as it turned him on, it also twisted his stomach; if anyone were to be dominant, it was only him. This girl could not hope to win a battle against someone like him.

He had to put her in her place. Bankotsu raised his left hand.. Kagome winced, as she closed her eyes to feel the velocity of the slap.. But the slap did not come.

It was only a few seconds later that she decided to open her eyes. She noticed that Bankotsu was not focusing on her anymore.. Which aroused her curiosity. What was he looking at?

Kagome gasped and dilated her pupils.. Her heartbeat decelerated as she took in the sight of blood-red eyes.. The lightning in the background caused the sight to be more monstrous and frightning.. _InuYasha!_

"**Don't..you..lay..a.. hand.. on.. her!**" As much as InuYasha's new appearance, and furious tone that he had used with this man, should scare her - it did not. Even though he sounded different, Kagome knew that as long as he recognized her.. she should not be afraid of him. Her heartbeat jumped in euphoria as he defended her...

Bankotsu stood up, crossing his arms - appearing not to be fazed by the threat. His lips twisted into an arrogant sneer. "How many times do I have to shoot you before you stay down, little doggy?"

InuYasha growled, as his knuckles cracked. With the bloodthirsty look in his eyes, it appeared that he had the urge to snap his neck.

To Kagome, her feelings of gratitude toward InuYasha changed; the suggestion of being scared was being taken into consideration.. This was not like the InuYasha she knew.. This one seemed to be a lot angrier.. He seemed to act more like a beast when he growled...

Time had all but stopped as InuYasha made the first move. Kagome hadn't even realized what happened until she saw crimson blood spilling in the air.

As shocked as she was by the sight of this, and the massive amount of blood produced, she was even more shocked by the scream of pain and despair. She didn't even think twice to know that it was not InuYasha who screamed.

The lightning chose its own opportune moment to flash..

At that moment, she saw the man's body - soulless and lifeless - lying on the ground.

As much as Kagome wanted to protest about what he had done, she couldn't voice out those words. _Why did you do that? _Kagome was against murder - at any cost. Even though he tried to hurt her, Kagome couldn't be the one to decide justice for herself by killing him.

_InuYasha was trying to protect you.. _That voice was the one reason why Kagome didn't ask InuYasha why he did what he did. Instead, she pulled herself up to her feet and stood there for a moment - as she gazed into his bloodshot eyes. When she looked into his eyes, she didn't see disgust. She did not see a mindless animal before her. She saw someone with a heart - someone that could use it.

Before she knew it, she sprinted across the cave to leap into InuYasha's arms; she was crying, because she could feel the tears run down her cheeks. But these were not sad tears. They were tears of relief. After all that had happened, she was glad that InuYasha was okay.. That was all that mattered.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I have a feeling you guys liked this chapter! XD Kagome and InuYasha have finally kissed! :) Expect the romance to heat up (the next chapter is filled with more fluff; Sesshy and Rin have a chance to interact more, not to mention more InuKag!)...**

**Anyways, please leave a review - I'd like to know what you think! ^_^**


	30. Gotta Be Somebody For A Lonely Heart

**I believe I'm not giving you enough compliments; you guys are totally awesome! :) I hope you guys like the Sesshomaru/Rin moment I have planned! :)**

**T aria Robotnik**: I'M SO HAPPY TOO! :)

**CityOfFallenAshes**: -dances all around the room - Thank you, thank you, thank you! :) I knew you'd like the kiss ;D

**Warm-Amber92**: Yes, there is a lot of fluff! Figured it'd be necessary since InuKag took so much time to fall in love. Hehe. Oh? You think Bankotsu's still alive? (leans in chair with hands on cheeks) Please.. do tell..

**TheRealInuyasha**: "A dead Bankotsu is a good Bankotsu". LOL! I couldn't help but laugh at that; you are such a joker! XD But seriously, you are too funny :) Thanks for reviewing, ja!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Kagome will solve all of her problems by kicking guys in the crotch; seriously, that's every guy's weakness. Honestly, I can't even imagine how it would even hurt at all! But then again, I'm not a boy... 0_0 So really, we'd better leave that topic of discussion without a conclusion. LOL. Peace out! (instead of peace sign, I use the rock on sign)

**Seeker Heart**: If KOGA ever happens to hit on Kagome, InuYasha will punch him in the face. I actually picture that happening. LOL. Thanks for reviewing :3

**DinosaursgoRawr101**: Believe it or not, I put a lot of thought into the action scene. I need some more practice on those! LOL. Thank you for reviewing!

**Status: **Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, blame the Slenderman (the very definition of creepiness and death for humankind) If you don't know who that is, look him up! 0_0

**Chapter 29**

To be honest, Rin didn't know if she was glad to be free from his domain. He didn't harm her nor did he force her to comply with any demands.

_"But why did you save me?" _

_"This Sesshomaru does not know why." _

She couldn't help but keep those words close..

_"This Sesshomaru does not fornicate with a human. He is a better man than that." _

So.. this Sesshomaru had some honour. He had not starved her, he had stayed by her side when she was unconscious and he granted her the request to go home. For some reason, this made Rin believe, somehow, that he cared about her.

Her heart was touched by the idea, and Rin couldn't help but wish, hoping that it would be true... If he did not care about her, then why did he save her from the wolves?

Rin was satisfied with this conclusion.. She was entirely sure that reason was why she was still alive.

She could still remember his captivating golden eyes...His silver hair cascading past his broad shoulders...Docking red stripes along his cheekbones, chiselled to perfection..

Rin could feel her cheeks flush; her heart was beating swiftly and it was hammering against her chest... Could it be that she has a crush on him? On the man that saved her on multiple occasions?

A part of her wanted to deny it, but another part of her couldn't. Rin knew that ever since she had been allowed to leave, she had not stopped thinking about him.. He had always been on her mind.. He captured her interest...

Would she be interested in seeing him again? To be honest, Rin was indebted to him for saving her.. so yes, she would. Of course, that was only an excuse to. But how could Rin fall in love with someone she didn't even know?

_He could be dangerous, he could be insane, he could be a murderer for all I know! _The irrational part of Rin's conscience said to her. The rational part of her conscience wasn't about to judge Sesshomaru...

As much as she wanted to continue this conversation with herself, she'd rather focus on her run. It had been a while since she had last gone on one, which made it all the more reason to slip on her sneakers, blast up the music on her iPod and just go get some exercise. Which she was currently doing at the moment, but the music was difficult to process now that her thoughts were starting to revolve around Sesshomaru.

Rin didn't know where the full impact of her heavy thinking would lead her, until she collided with someone heading the opposite direction.

Rin yelped in surprise as she found herself tumbling to the ground.

"S-sorry," Rin muttered, trying to act composed when she actually felt the opposite...She glanced up to see lutescent eyes gazing into her own..Rin felt her cheeks flush in extreme embarrassment as she realized who she bumped into..

It seemed like time had stopped altogether as the full-fledged demon and the human girl continued to peer into another's soul using their eyes..

Rin felt like she couldn't breathe as he gazed in her eyes.. It wasn't the fact that he was staring at her that made her uncomfortable. In fact, she didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Rin merely felt curious..Why was he looking at her with such sadness? Was this meeting similar to the scenes in the silver screens? Ones that made the heart-race? Rin certainly felt like this was playing out like the movies.. Her heart was certainly racing against her chest; she certainly was feeling nervous. But could she say that she was feeling scared of him? No. Rin knew that she couldn't be afraid of him. Deep down, she knew that she had every reason to trust him. He kept her safe..That was more than enough reason to be comfortable around him.

It was though it was an answer to her prayer, as she saw a hand extend toward her...Rin accepted it, and at once, she could feel the warmth his hand radiated.. she could feel it spread within her as she was picked up from the ground.

"Thank you," Rin said graciously, bowing low to express her genuine thanks. Then, she knew - as well as Sesshomaru - that she was thanking him for more.. She was thanking him for saving her life. But before she could stop herself, she asked, "What are you doing around these parts?"

"This Sesshomaru is drawn to your presence." **(1) **Sesshomaru knew it was the truth; he had always been drawn to this young girl.. Her innocence, her alluring scent and the resemblance to Rinna was what drew him to her. It was like this girl was his weakness...He had always wondered what it would be like to find his love in this life.. if he could know by the feeling that the girl was his...He knew that it was her. He had spent five hundred years alone; it was not a feeling that he particularly cared about before he fell for Rinna. It was like this moment now.. meant that he'd spend the rest of his life with her. With this young girl..

"My..presence?" Rin asked. She was uncertain about what he was saying.. unless..he was admitting that he cared about her.

"This Sesshomaru has waited centuries for you," Sesshomaru stated simply.

Rin's heart fluttered.. She was touched immensely by his confession..Dammit, this felt too right; Rin didn't want to feel anything else at this moment. She was dwelling on the fact that this man practically confessed his feelings of love for her.

"That's sweet of you to say. But I don't know you. I-I mean I would like to know you," Rin stuttered, trying to cover up her embarrassment by sheepish giggles. "My name's Rin," Rin smiled, as she bowed again in greeting. She tucked a stray, mahogany hair behind her ear as she eagerly waited for his reply.

"Rin," Sesshomaru could not help but love the sound of her name...

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered as their eyes collided in a passionate stare.. Gold eyes met brown eyes for the thousandth time - neither party wanted to pull away...

For some unexplainable reason, Rin felt like this had happened before; at this moment, she felt a rush of pleasant emotions move within her - happiness, being one emotion...But where had she seen this happen before? Her mind was blank, but at the moment, she truly didn't care...

However, this moment - as sweet as it was - had been interrupted. Rin was hypnotized by the angel before her.. to entranced to notice a person bump into her - causing her to fall into the chest of her savior. Rin would have felt bewildered, but instead she was thinking to herself about how right it was being in his arms...

She was well on her way to falling in love.

**:3 :3 :3**

That very night, romance was still in the air. Except it was expressed in an entirely different way, of course.

When it came to the love life of Sango and Miroku, it was very different than what you'd expect it to be. Of course, Sango would slap Miroku if he dared try to put a move on her (sexually, of course) but it wouldn't be one of those harsh slaps. But it seemed like Miroku was the only one who noticed this change; yet he preferred to keep it quiet - since his woman knows how to pack quite a wallop. He preferred to keep his balls intact, thank you very much. Yet ever since they started going out, Miroku wasn't as lecherous either. But who was it to say that they never tried anything in private? That was a different story altogether, that is not relevant to this chapter.

When it came to their work ethics, such as demon-slaying, their relationship turned solely into professional behavior. It was just that they knew they could stay focused on the battlefield without dirty thoughts clouding either of their minds. You'd be surprised to figure out that it wasn't Miroku who had even more dirty thoughts than Sango at this point. In fact, it was very much the opposite.

It wasn't even a month when they started their relationship and already Sango was feeling the tension between them build. Typical. But it wasn't like Sango was going to explicitly say she possessed these sort of feelings to Miroku. At least not yet.

_Because it would be TOTALLY appropriate to scream out 'I wanna have sex' before battling demons, _Sango thought to herself sarcastically. But with one shake of her head, to clear away her thoughts, she stayed one-hundred percent on task.

Lately, there seemed to be an increase in demon attacks; especially around the down-town area where Kagome worked on her project. Which happened to be a half-demon, who happened to be a ginoromous asshole. But Sango approved of him regardless.. She seemed to like his crude attitude and though he said one offensive comment, that didn't stop Sango from thinking that hwas an alright person. Considering that she met InuYasha one time. InuYasha and Kagome were made for each other.

Speaking of Kagome, Sango was in fact concerned about her.

She had received a call from her mother saying that Kagome didn't come home and she feared that something had happened. Sango promised that she would be on the look-out. Which was what she and Miroku were currently doing. Miroku came because he was allegedly concerned about Kagome's welfare, just as much as Sango was.

"Damn..." Sango cursed.

"Sango? Are you alright?" Miroku asked, with a concerned and serious tone. He noticed that his girlfriend was tense - and no doubt worried about her friend. He could see the worry through her beautiful almond eyes.

"It's just.. Kagome's been gone for a couple of days and I've been worried." There was no use lying to Miroku, who could always tell if she was not telling the truth. Ironically enough, he couldn't back up a lie as well as he told one.

Miroku laid a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle caress. "We'll find her."

Sango nodded, silently appreciating the support that her boyfriend gave to her. "Thank you," Sango smiled. She knew she would never be alone; she had Miroku to help her.. He would support her no matter what.

But she noticed that Miroku did not reply with any comment. Instead, he narrowed his eyes in the west - as though he could tell that someone was there. Sango then felt a strong, demonic aura..It could only mean one thing. Naraku.

She turned around to face the field of sight that Miroku had. "Show your face, Naraku!" Sango proclaimed with an angry, bitter tone. She narrowed her almond eyes as she waited for his response..

"My greetings extend to you, Sango and Miroku. I'm surprised, yet humbled; what do I owe for this lovely visit?" Naraku chuckled from the shadows, not bothering to appear...He

was in the midst of other affairs; his attentions on the demon-slayers must be limited...

"None of your concern, I'm afraid," Miroku replied sternly. Though this was not the first encounter with Naraku, Miroku always sounded pissed off to the point of avenging his family..yet he could never find the strength to bring true justice while half of his conscience wanted revenge...

"And I'm afraid that lovely Kagome isn't here; she is elsewhere." Even now, Naraku was still upset that InuYasha held the woman in his grasp..He was still peeved that he ran off with her..But Naraku would never show the tiniest bit of frustration to anyone. "But now I have you to play with."

"Where is she?" Sango growled, in an intimidating manner, completely ignoring the remainder of Naraku's filthy sentence. Sango wouldn't know what she'd do if Naraku did something to her...She only had to pray that he hadn't touched her.

"I'm afraid I cannot reveal that," Naraku smirked amusedly, licking his lips as he watched the sight of Sango dissatisfied with his answer.. and he looked forward to her reaction..."But as much as I want to stay and chat, particularly with you - Miroku, I have other matters to take care of. But if you do ever happen to find Kagome, please give her my regards." And with that, Naraku was gone. His aura had disappeared, much to Sango's frustration.

She fell to her knees, struggling to hold back her tears. She couldn't bear to lose another important person to her.. The disappearance of her brother and the disappearance of Kagome felt like it was too much for her to bear..."Damn it all!" Sango cursed angrilly.

Miroku was by her side in an instant, embracing her. "We'll find her, Sango. I promise."

"I'm sorry I'm like this, Miroku. I just can't stand here and do nothing while Kagome could be in serious danger."

As soon as Sango finished her sentence, an epiphany hit her - deadly hard. She widened her eyes in sudden realization.. How could she have missed this before? Kagome.. she could be with InuYasha! Was that.. what Naraku meant when he said he had other matters to take care of? Sango noticed how angry he sounded.. Could InuYasha have escaped? Could that be the reason why Kagome was at the lab? She was the one who had to have set him free...Sango knew that she was satisfied with this conclusion..She just had one of those feelings that she was right. But it wouldn't hurt to pray to Kami to guard over Kagome.

"Sango?"

"You're right Miroku. We can find her. I have a feeling who is with her right now."

Miroku tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Who?"

Sango smirked. "I'll tell you on the way."

**:3 :3 :3**

_She was running... That was all she knew at this point.. _

_Kagome was running through the cimmerian void - with no particular destination in mind. _

_There was no place for her to go.. which made the experience all the more frightening for her. _

_But.. she noticed she had no control of her body; it was like someone was manipulating her.. for what purpose, Kagome didn't know. All she knew, was that she couldn't regain control of her senses. She was too weak to fight off the parasite invading her body..._

_Before Kagome knew it, she found herself in a forest, but it was not pleasant. It was only grey. The ambiguous mist was like a deadly poison - wiping out any sort of lifeform in the area. Shivers ran down Kagome's spine.. it was no forest. It was a graveyard. _

_"Kagome!"_

_InuYasha's voice..._

_In an instant, she saw him clad in his blood-red, fire-rat kimono.. She saw the relief in his crysal eyes - she could also see love within them.. Before Kagome knew it, she was pulled into his arms, which wrapped around her petite body protectively. "You look a little pale, Kagome. Go home and get some rest."_

_"InuYasha.."_

_Then..the unthinkable had occurred. She, under the control of a mysterious force, attacked InuYasha. At that precise moment, Kagome knew that something bad was about to happen..she prepared to fear for the worst._

_But Kagome needed to stop this. _

_"Kagome.." She could see the plethora of emotions that he expressed...InuYasha's eyes held shock and surprise. She clearly hurt him and that was something Kagome could never even think about doing. Because she was hurting deep inside... Her heartbeat nearly decelerated altogether as she subconsciously attempted to kill him once again..._

_What happened next eluded her...It was as though time had accelerated; Kagome found herself in a clearing..Where if her heartbeat was controlled, it could have easily broken._

_"Stay..away.." Kagome managed to whimper in warning, as InuYasha slumped to the ground against the tree in the background..._

_Kagome was frightened more than anything else..She knew she hurt him again.._

_"I have no control..over my body..I can't stop..Please..Please leave!" Kagome managed to groan, before she felt an invisible presence tighten its hold on her brain..._

_"That's enough! I won't leave without you, Kagome!"_

_It was an incredibly romantic thing to say..yet, she couldn't tell him she loved him._

_She couldn't live with herself anymore as she saw what happened next..Tears slipped down her cheeks, as Kagome's heartbeat came to a jolt..._

_"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed, but she was too late to stop the arrow that was piercing through his chest..._

_She killed him..She killed InuYasha..She killed the man she loved..._

**:3 :3 :3**

"Kagome! Kagome!"

Faraway, she could hear him. She could hear his voice reaching out to her..

As Kagome opened her eyes, she found that she was not alone... She was looking into the golden eyes of her InuYasha..

At first, she was reluctant to believe that this was reality.. But after hearing InuYasha call out to her once more, she knew that InuYasha was alive.. Kagome was so relieved.. She placed a hand on InuYasha's warm cheek, while caressing it gently. InuYasha was real; more importantly, he hadn't left her...

"InuYasha," Kagome whispered as a fresh set of tears of allayment poured down her cheeks...That was all it took for InuYasha to embrace Kagome devotedly, and comfortingly...

There were no words to describe this moment.. Except for the term endearing. Kagome was certainly glad that she was never gonna be alone..

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) Yes, Sesshomaru may be out of character, but this is AU! But doesn't a sweet Sesshomaru make you swoon? LOL.**

**Anyways, the inspiration for this chapter is "Gotta Be Somebody" by Nickelback. Their music is the best! ^_^**

**Please - let me know what you think!**


	31. To Be Honest

**Oh my gosh - it's chapter 30! Who's excited? ME! YOU! LOL. This chapter may be filler; I just put in InuKag romance for you guys (it seems like there's not enough in this story) **

**Oh, there is a bit of a time skip ;)**

**However, it also means that this story is coming close to an end.. Bear with me folks! ^_^**

**Thanks goes out to...**

**TheRealInuyasha**: Isn't Nickelback awesome? They are like my favourite band ever! My fave song from them is "Far Away"; cutest song ever! I also like this Sesshomaru too..I can't explain why though. LOL. I, believe it or not, make people laugh too; but only when I come up with witty remarks. :)

**Sunrise Phoenix**: It was super scary for her! That's the worst-case scenario: murdering InuYasha while under the control of someone else.. Glad you think Sesshy's adorable! XD Because that is the truth :)

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I was wondering if anyone noticed that reference ;) You get cyber-money (around $500 in cyber-money) for pointing out the movie! ^_^ Sesshy is ALWAYS cute and fluffy..It's a scientific fact. LOL.

**Seeker Heart** Thank God it's just a dream! It'd be too sad if it was real :( But if you seriously question Naraku's motives... I can't promise you that he's doing legal stuff. 0_o Can't wait to hear from you again! :)

**Menarie**: I completely understand! Love lives come first before anything else.. I wish I had a boyfriend..It's good to dream! XD I figured the romance was plenty for everyone, thank you :) OF COURSE SESSHY sees Rin as HIS MATE! Otherwise, I think he's wasting his time. LOL.

**RefiraM**: I think it's one of the greatest songs of all time! I could just listen to it all day... :) LOL 'read you later' that is a good, clever thing to say ;)

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! Thanks ;)**

**Chapter 30**

InuYasha was, no doubt, the best thing that Kagome had; She couldn't exactly explain why, but the signs were all there. She was comfortable - for lack of a better term - to say the least when she was with him. InuYasha made her feel safe, protected and loved... Kagome knew that what she felt for him was love. No one else held that title in the past and it wasn't like anyone else had a chance to win her heart in the future. InuYasha was that protective of her - Kagome could easily tell.

Considering that he had brought her back to her home, receiving the instructions from Kagome, met her mother and was currently staying within the household, Kagome felt like she had known him for more than just a couple of months. She felt connected with him. She gave affection toward him - and she easily reassured him that InuYasha was the only guy for her. Even Sakura piped in and said the same thing; InuYasha was practically the only one good enough to be with Kagome. Considering that InuYasha was a little uncomfortable with the comment, he easily appreciated it. After all, he hadn't felt accepted in the longest time...It sort of felt good to be accepted - even if it was in Kagome's mother's eyes.

Kagome was easily occupied with InuYasha within the week; sometimes the two would argue about the simplest things (such as the Shower incident, which happened to deal with Kagome accidentally walking into the bathroom, getting a glimpse of InuYasha's naked body, and happened to be very embarrassed about seeing him in such a state). Yet most days they seem to be willing to patch things up between them by heated kisses and apologies. But there were rare occasions when both InuYasha and Kagome were stubborn and put off the subject until further notice.

Then Saturday came; the day when Hojo said he'd call her for a date. Problem was, Kagome hadn't even THOUGHT about it until now... It was going to be a problem. Kagome wasn't even sure if she wanted to go at all. She had a boyfriend now and it would feel more than uncomfortable going out with someone that she hadn't even spoken to in years...If Kagome told InuYasha about Hojo, there was no doubt he'd start picking a fight.

And apparently, picking a fight was what InuYasha did best..

However, as much as Kagome wanted to completely think about this, she had to focus on the task at hand. Actually phoning Hojo to call the whole thing off. It was the right thing to do after all...InuYasha's extreme temper/jealousy was not worth it.

So that was the first thing to do on her list of priorities. Kagome picked up her home phone, dialed Hojo's cell - which he had given her at some point, and waited for him to pick up. Kagome mentally reminded herself she should call Sango as well, but first, she should deal with this.

"Kagome?" Hojo's voice appeared from the other end of the telephone line, sounding surprised but a little enthusiastic. It made Kagome feel a little guilty, but that couldn't stop her one bit from doing this.

"Hey, Hojo," Kagome greeted, biting her lip as she anticipated what she was planning to say next. "Listen.. um.. I don't think we should see each other." Considering that she held some remorse for hurting Hojo's feelings.. she was not heartless. "I've started seeing someone else."

"I.. understand, Kagome." But judging from his tone, Kagome wasn't certain whether or not if he understood what she was trying to tell him. She hoped that he didn't see her as more than a friend.. Unrequited love was something that she couldn't deal with; but then again, drama was generally the thing that Kagome needed to avoid. But clearly that wasn't going to happen anytime soon... It was like watching 500 Days of Summer **(1)** all over again...

"Thank you." Kagome tightened her grip on the chordless phone, as she sat down on her bed; her legs felt like jelly and her heartbeat was rapid. Kagome felt like she was about to implode from anxiety.

"I should be thanking you, Kagome. For being honest with me."

Sometimes hearing the truth sucked - that was the thing about holding things back. It'd go back to bite you in the butt.

"Before you go, Hojo, I just want to know one thing. Why.. why did you start liking me again?" It was the heat of the moment; Kagome couldn't help but speak that question aloud.

"I've always liked you, Kagome. I've never stopped liking you. But I guess things need to change now, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Hojo."

"I hope you're happy; whoever you're with. I hope he treats you right too."

Why Kagome felt like she was going to cry out was beyond her comprehension.. She just felt too overwhelmed to start crying; it was like she was freaking out to keep herself from freaking out. Like that made any sense.

Kagome's lips were pursed in a thin line. She contemplated replying, but she couldn't find the words to speak. Instead, she was silent.. As a result, she heard the click on the other end of the telephone line. Hojo hung up.

Kagome should have felt relieved, and mostly she was. But she held a little bit of guilt; she hated hurting people's feelings. Kagome had always been the sensitive type.

Kagome laid down on her back on the cozy, delicate quilts on her bed.. She felt entirely exhausted..She'd have to call Sango later..

_I hope you're happy; whoever you're with. I hope he treats you right too._

Why those words rang repetitively within her mind was also something Kagome didn't quite understand. She felt touched, to say the least, that Hojo cared for her - Kagome could tell how sincere his voice was, even if they weren't talking in person. But she felt a little offended by the comment too. Even though Hojo did not know InuYasha whatsoever, Kagome couldn't help but question why Hojo thought that she was into a man who didn't have the decency to respect a woman. But did that matter at the moment? Well, it shouldn't.

What truly mattered was InuYasha...

Through the past week, Kagome didn't even ask him how he found life here.. She was simply busy trying to teach him everyday things that she didn't realize it until now. Kagome assumed that this life that InuYasha had now was certainly better than the one he had during his time at the lab.

With all her heart, Kagome hoped that InuYasha was happy with her...

If he wanted to see the outside world, could she stop him?

Kagome shook her head. She shouldn't be so selfish; she desired him, she loved him.. She would even let him go - to make sure that he would always be safe. Kagome obviously fantasized whether or not if InuYasha thought the same thing.

"You feelin' all right?" InuYasha's gruff voice interrupted Kagome, bringing her back into the present from her reverie.

Kagome looked toward the doorway, where she found her InuYasha leaning against the wall - giving her one of his concerned expressions. His golden eyes glowed with adoration, and especially concern.

"Just tired, is all." Kagome wanted to say more.. but she didn't know what else she could say.

"I suppose I should let you get your 'beauty sleep'," InuYasha grumbled, crossing his toned arms, and avoiding Kagome's curious gaze.

Kagome smiled; her brown eyes shining with amusement. "I don't think I need it. I have you with me , after all."

It only took a few sentimental words to bring out a rosy blush on his cheeks. Though Kagome thought that InuYasha thought it was embarrassing and 'shit', Kagome thought it was adorable...

"You'll stay with me. Won't you?" Kagome asked hopefully, continuing to gaze in his own amber orbs with desperation.

Kagome also hoped to talk about their.. relationship. She didn't want to pressure him into 'labeling'.. She wanted to make sure he was comfortable before anything else. They had kissed a handful of times, but they didn't really discuss what it meant. Kagome couldn't put this off any longer either. This was a discussion that she was sure that InuYasha wouldn't want to miss either..That question meant something else too.

"Please? Lie down with me?"

With absolutely no hesitation, she found herself in the comforting, assured arms of InuYasha.. She could feel his body molding against her own perfectly. His hands laid on her stomach and his lips were brushing through Kagome's raven hair. _It felt right..._

She thought that InuYasha would say something at first. Each minute of silence passed before Kagome realized that he was not used to bringing up such things..

"InuYasha. What do you think of me?" Kagome proposed. "Honestly, how do you feel about me? We.. never really talked about this before and.. I know I'm not used to bringing up something like this either. But.. I would like to go steady with you." Kagome's stomach felt like it was being invaded by thousands of butterflies, which fluttered inside her - causing her nerves to increase exponentially.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

Was this supposed to be a trick question? "What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome tried to act calm, as much as possible; she was trying to be serious - offering a conversation of great importance and all InuYasha contributed was a question that underlined the word 'idiot' in an insulting tone.

"It means I'm sticking with you. Whether you like it or not."

In other words.. he wanted to be with her too. It wasn't exactly the same thing as 'I love you', but Kagome was willing to take it. "I do appreciate you saying that. But.. how do you find life here? Would you.. rather seeing the outside world?"

"Idiot! I just told you, didn't I? I'm never going anywhere. Not without you." That was pretty much even closer to the words 'I love you'. That was enough to make Kagome swoon..

"Good. I wouldn't want to leave your side." Kagome laid a hand on top of InuYasha's, which still embraced her stomach gently. "And I'm the only girl. Right?"

InuYasha scoffed, deeming the whole idea ridiculous. "What do you think?" But he never elaborated on his answer... But to Kagome, it was okay; she was willing to take things slow.

"And you know that there's no one else that's close to catching my attention, like you." Kagome turned around, to see InuYasha's gorgeous honey eyes gazing into hers.. She placed her other hand on InuYasha's cheek - caressing it softly. The best way to tell him how she felt.. was showing it. Kagome planted her lips on top of InuYasha's, kissing him with as much love she could muster... It was a romantic kiss and even InuYasha could not resist temptation. And from that moment on, Kagome's heart belonged to none other than InuYasha. Neither one of them had a problem with that fact..

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) For the record, I saw the movie 500 Days Of Summer with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph-Gordon Lewitt.. Not the best movie I've seen; didn't even make me laugh. But I had to reference something. Okay, not really.**

**Yes, the whole Hojo thing had to be cleared up.. Obviously, Kagome knows what she wants! No one could ever compare to InuYasha. Don't you agree? LOL. **

**Then the whole fluff at the end was pretty cute. Right? At least the both of them know where they stand! ^_^ **

**A penny for your thoughts? Or would you prefer cyber- $1000 for your thoughts?**


	32. The Main Catch Of The Day? It's Kagome

**Last chapter was fluffy.. This one? Probably not.. Just another girls' day out with playful goodness .. But I hope you enjoy it! ^_^**

**Thanks goes out to... **

**Taria Robotnik**: Yep - now their relationship is more official ;) Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

**Warm-Amber92**: InuYasha is pretty much the most coveted guy in the anime universe! XD And if you thought that last chapter was fluffy, just wait and see this one! :3 And did you see The Dark Knight Rises - he was in that movie too! XD Thanks for reviewing!

**Seeker Heart**: Considering I only worked on that chapter for one day.. I'm glad to see that the result turned out great! ^_^ I see InuYasha as one of those guys who don't openly admit how they feel.. unless it's in private. Thanks so much for reviewing!

**TheRealInuyasha**: Of course there is no contest.. InuYasha will ALWAYS be the winner. No joke. Thanks for reviewing!

**Kagome's Blossom**: Now InuYasha and Kagome are together! Pretty obvious they had been... LOL. You will want to see what Naraku does next; he's even more devious than me! XD

**Sunrise Phoenix**: ARE YOU KIDDING? InuYasha is the best thing that happened to MY life.. to be honest, it's only ONE of the best. LOL. Trust me, there's some Sesshomaru and Rin in this chapter. Whoops - totally NOT meant to say that out loud. hehe.. Rock on! And peace out!

**blackdragon72**: Yep.. that's for sure. Now there's no emotional clutter in anyone's heart. Except Hojo. Not that that matters.. :P Thanks for reviewing!

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Kawai is like the cutest word ever (no pun intended)! So glad you liked this chapter! :3

**Black Phantom of the Shadows**: Gosh, thanks so much for reviewing! I really appreciate it!

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku. Thanks! ^_^**

******Chapter 31**

"I don't need to buy any more clothes, Sango," Kagome sighed heavilly, already forming the idea that convincing her friend would turn out to be pointless and unsuccessful. Well, this was one of the few times in her life that she couldn't convince Sango.. Especially if she was acting just as stubborn as she was. Then there was the fact that Sango was mad at her, for obvious reasons. Kagome would have loved to get back in touch with her, but she had been dealing with the stress of recent events: which she had yet to tell Sango. Today would possibly be the best chance for Kagome to explain everything, considering that Sango dragged Kagome out of the house to spend some quality girl time together. Girl time that Sango felt they were lacking lately...Even Rin was coming along too; surely this would be the only opportunity Rin would have to explain her absences. Kagome had been worried, as did Sango, about Rin. And so Rin did promise that she'd explain everything on their little expedition.

"I'm only trying to help you out, Kagome. Don't you want to look nice for InuYasha?" As much as Kagome appreciated Sango's help, she really didn't feel like spending a lot of cash to get on Sango's good side.

"Who is InuYasha?" Rin asked curiously. Of course Rin was curious as to who Kagome had in her life these days... She looked from Sango to Kagome, eagerly awaiting an answer.

"He's... my boyfriend," Kagome gave Rin a small smile, as a blush quickly made itself visible on her cheeks.

"Aww, that's so cute. How long have you been dating?" Rin asked.

"Not very long," Kagome admitted, as a plethora of flashbacks entered her mind. But before Kagome could say anything more, Sango butted in.

"Can we talk about this later? Right now, Kagome needs something nice for her date."

"And from your definition of 'date', you mean you're going to pick out a dress that doesn't even fit my definition of class, so I can parade around in it to seduce InuYasha. Oh yeah, that's totally a date," Kagome rolled her eyes sarcastically. Of course she meant this to be a joke, but Sango wasn't appreciating her sarcasm at this moment.

Who could actually blame Kagome for feeling snarky? The three of them had been to A LOT of stores, and Kagome was starting to snap; she could only tolerate so much shopping.

"And besides.. The last thing I'd want is to make InuYasha uncomfortable. He still has a lot to learn about the real world and I have to teach him."

Rin was extremely puzzled, not to mention curious, about what the conversation itself. Kagome had yet to explain to Rin about the man she was falling in love with.. Then again, Rin didn't tell Sango or Kagome about her recent escapades with Sesshomaru..

Mystic crysal eyes, magenta stripes, ivory hair and a calm and collected expression was what came to mind.. Rin found herself blushing... At some point, Rin would traipse off to meet him at the park.. _A date with Sesshomaru..._ Rin thought to herself as her lips turned into a small smile. She couldn't help but feel excited; it was her first date.

"From the way Rin's dazing off, I think she's got a boyfriend," Sango stated; immediately pulling Rin back into the present.

"She's blushing; it has to be true," Kagome agreed as both teenage girls gazed into Rin's chocolate eyes, which were staring back with confusion.

Rin shook her head, her blush appearing to be more obvious. "N-no. It's not like that." The fact that Rin was not a good liar meant that Sango and Kagome knew better.

"If you don't want to talk about your secret boyfriend, we won't force you to. Besides. I have a lot to explain, don't I?" Kagome shrugged her shoulders in mere defeat. She had always been one to finish an accusation with a positive note - in other words, backing off. She never wanted any of her friends to be out of their comfort zone when revealing secrets. This certainly was no different.

Rin's almond eyes sparkled with gratitude, nodding to Kagome in appreciation. Although she felt a little bit guilty that Kagome was going to tell her all about this InuYasha...

"Now you remind me why I'm ticked at you in the first place," Sango crossed her arms, her thick, bow-shaped lips turning into a pout while narrowing her eyes in anger. "You're just lucky I want to know what you've been up to. But don't think that we're going to be done shopping." In times like these, it was always better to listen to Sango. It was just an unspoken rule between all three of them.

"Alright then. But let's go get some lunch. I'm just starving."

**:3 :3 :3**

After twenty solid minutes of consuming french-fries, cheeseburgers and vanilla milkshakes, Kagome started to explain what she had been doing the past few months. It would only make logical sense to start at the beginning so Rin would understand completely. She told Rin of how she met InuYasha, a half-demon man who had been caged for many years since her father had discovered him, how Naraku had come into play, how Kagome had tried to decode InuYasha, how Koga immediately despised him after one visit, how InuYasha started to compliment her (in his own way of course) and the eventual escape plan. This was the reason why Kagome wasn't in contact with Sango; because InuYasha had saved her and brought her to the forest... The next part of the story was something that might even surprise Rin. Kagome then explained how 'Bankotsu' - the man with dark azure eyes, golden skin and braided hair - attacked them, forcing InuYasha to resort to.. his dark side. Was Kagome frightened? To be honest, she was a little bit. But her courage prevented her from feeling any less doubtful of InuYasha's appearance and his heritage. But the one thing that Kagome could not leave out was her kiss with InuYasha... Which was the right thing to say at the moment. Sango and Rin were touched by Kagome's physical declaration of love.

Then it was Rin's turn to recall the events prior to Kagome escaping the grasp of Naraku. It was a little difficult to explain sorely because none of her friends knew the main characters in her story. Yet Rin tried her best to tell her story. It all started one night, when Rin was taking a walk around a small district within Tokyo. Of course it was raining terribly and it made Rin feel like she was lost. Karma didn't seem to be nice to her that night at all; Rin, once again, encountered the man with azure eyes, golden-tinted skin and braided hair. She had been horrified the first time she and Kagome had encountered him, but the second time around was much worse. However, noting the injured man - who Rin told her friends that his name was Sesshomaru - her courage increased ten-fold. Something within her snapped that night... She just wanted to save his life - who did the same with hers. But her confidence couldn't save her from Bankotsu's violent wrath. But after some time, Bankotsu did leave Rin to tend over Sesshomaru. It was at that time when he took her back to his palace. She had no idea how long she had been staying within Sesshomaru's household, but she could clearly state that Sesshomaru was getting used to her presence. The proof? He saved her from a pack of wolves trying to attack her while she was in the forest. Of course, Kagome and Sango gave Rin chastising expressions - clearly curious as to why Rin had done such a thing. But they were surprised of the fact that Sesshomaru had saved Rin. The rest of what Rin had to tell came easily to the two girls. Whilst they were in the Ricki's clothing shop an hour or so ago, they had noticed Rin drifting into space.. They concluded that Rin had feelings for this Sesshomaru.

But when they 'concluded' that Rin had a crush on him, it didn't mean that Sango had to keep it to herself. Sango leaned forward. "So when is your date?"

Honestly, Rin was not expecting that question; she figured she'd receive admiration from her friends for being put in a life versus death situation. Compared to her expectations, Sango's question hadn't even remotely sounded serious. But then again, Rin shouldn't take this personally...

"Date?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "Don't even try to deny it. I can tell that you like him; it's written all over your face."

There was no sense of denying anything.. Sango would find out the truth eventually. "Later on today, we're going to be meeting at the park," Rin admitted, her cheeks starting to radiate a delicate shade of pink.

"That sounds romantic," Kagome replied eagerly.

Before Rin could utter a response, Sango beat her to it. "You know what else is romantic? Saying those three words: I love you. Have you done that with InuYasha, Kagome?"

It was Kagome's time to act astonished and embarrassed. "W-what?" Considering that Kagome was a terrible liar.. it wouldn't be hard to get the response Sango was looking for.

She did tell InuYasha that she loved him.. Although she assumed he never heard it. It occurred during a moment of sentimentality, after her fight with InuYasha... **(1) **

"Yes. I have."

Kagome remembered that day perfectly.. It was when her mother gave her advice about how to care for her heart after finding Kagome in a wreck. The fight between InuYasha and Kagome itself was harsh to say the least. None of what she said to him did Kagome ever really mean... If she hadn't gone to find him to apologize.. she would have lost him forever.

"Kagome? Are you okay?" Rin asked quietly, noting the solemn expression planting itself on Kagome's delicate, feminine facial features. Even Sango knew that she must have brought up a memory of some sort...

"I'm fine."

As much as Sango wanted to press the subject further, she decided to let it slip... She would never do anything to make Kagome feel uncomfortable.

"But what about you Sango? Did you tell Miroku you love him?"

It was in Kagome's nature to turn the topic of discussion around unto Sango. Not that Sango would ever call her on that, because Kagome would keep doing it. She wasn't one of those people who enjoyed the spotlight; Kagome was better than that.

Sango's cheeks were flaming red in embarrassment, which looked amusing to Kagome and Rin because they rarely ever see Sango flustered... If there were truly any reason for her to be flustered, the cause would no doubt be men. But seeing that she had no romantic experience, such embarrassment was rarely seen. Not only was it amusing, but it was also cute - the way Sango would stutter. Kagome wondered how flustered Miroku made her out to be...

"T-that is hardly what I call a fair question," Sango murmured, avoiding the curious gazes of Kagome and Rin. "But.. no. I haven't told him yet."

That last added response was clear enough for the two girls to understand. Not only did Sango imply that she loved him.. she had yet to do so. But it wasn't like Kagome and Rin would pressure their friend to do such a thing.

"Did he say it?" Rin pondered aloud.

"Not yet. But I know that he cares."

"Tell me about it. I wish that InuYasha would say how he feels, but... it's not like I can do anything to change that." To be honest, Kagome felt a little frustrated that InuYasha rarely said anything sentimental. But she wouldn't dare to complain about it out loud... Again, InuYasha's comfort and happiness mattered to her more than anything else. Even if it was at the expense of her own.

"Are you kidding Kagome? Sesshomaru and I haven't known each other very long; he has yet to actually say something.. sweet."

Much to everyone's amazement, they were currently spending their girls' day out bashing the male species. The discussions, prior to this one, more or less dealt with clothes and how a certain item would look positively ravishing on Kagome. Kagome was glad they were rather speaking about boys, Sango was distracted (sincerely distracted) with the new talk of their boyfriends and Rin was a little uncomfortable about talking of Sesshomaru in this way. Before either girl would know it, the topic of past romantic experience blossomed. It was something they had actually had yet to discuss in their friendship.

Sango's question for Kagome's past romances was a little difficult for Kagome to digest. "If you hadn't met InuYasha, would you have actually considered Hojo or Koga?"

In Kagome's opinion, that question was obvious.. Of course Kagome wouldn't have dated either of them. Though to be honest, Hojo was her first crush...

"I wouldn't have dated Koga, that's for sure. We're just friends."

Then the sudden thought hit her; Koga still liked her as more than friends.. and he clearly had no idea that Kagome was already seeing InuYasha. How would he even react - that was the question. Kagome mentally shook her head. She did not want to think about that.

"Speaking of Koga, does he know about.." Rin trailed off; Sango and Kagome knew what she was asking.

Kagome bit her lip, as did Sango. "No. He doesn't." And to be honest, Kagome kind of wished that Koga would return to America again... But that was hardly being a good friend. Not to mention it wouldn't be fair for Koga to learn about her relationship from someone else.

"To be honest, Koga should see this coming. After all, he is persistant."

"I don't want to worry about this now. The next time he comes to visit me, I'll tell him." And Kagome was not looking forward to that day already...

"Well, we'll still support you all the way," Rin smiled. To be honest, Kagome felt a little better about the whole situation already. Although she briefly wondered how they even came to this topic in the first place. "But I have a question. What's your secret to getting all these guys?"

Kagome blinked. "W-what?"

"From what I can tell, you have all these guys trailing after you. Hojo, Koga, InuYasha."

Kagome blushed, having no idea how to handle such praise. "I don't know." From the length of time they had been discussing Kagome's 'prospects' in love, she could have guessed that this was similar to a bachelorette party..Except there were no male strippers.

"You really are lucky; you are pretty, you're smart, you have a nice personality. No wonder you're considered the main catch."

"I don't feel so lucky. Two other boys' hearts will be broken," Kagome retorted. She hated unrequited love...

"Yeah, but even so - that should increase your self-esteem," Sango joked, nudging her friend in the ribs playfully.

"I already have my self-esteem hanging out with you guys," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I hope you're kidding about that, Kagome."

Just plain, bitter silence. Sango's smile dropped. "Aren't you?"

**:3 :3 :3**

**1) I was referring to Chapter 27 - when Kagome and InuYasha had their actual lover's quarral.. if you do recall. :P**

**I know, this chapter wasn't much.. But hopefully the next one you will enjoy much better ^_^**

**Please, do let me know what you think though... :3**


	33. You're The Reason Why I Smile

**Here comes the romance! XD Finally! After listening to several love songs, I've managed to write this!**

**Thanks goes out to:**

**Warm-Amber92**: Unfortunately, I am just the type to gossip because I have nothing better to do with my life. LOL. Joseph as a cop shocked me! Finally - a hot guy as a detective! XD Christopher Nolan rocks! :3 Thanks for reviewing!

**Taria Robotnik**: Why thank you very much :3

**TheRealInuyasha**: To be honest, that is true.. There are just so many unrequited crushes in that anime, it's not even funny. Good luck on your job interview! ^_^

**CityOfFallenAshes**: You should be excited about this chapter; so much romance stuffed into this chapter! LOL. Thanks for reviewing :3

**innocentanimefan**: Ooooooooo...

**Seeker Heart**: yeah, but Sango should understand that Kagome didn't really have time to tell her all of this... But this is obviously resolved. LOL. Seriously, drama is EVERYWHERE with these girls - they just can't avoid it. :P Thanks for reviewing!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: That sounds totally like a stereotype. LOL. But still - it's kind of true since there's nothing else to talk about. All the girls will be going out with their men tonight! Wish them luck, hehe :3 Rock on and keep reading! :)

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! ^_^**

**Chapter 32**

Oh God. Kagome didn't think she could do this... She told herself to take deep breaths, as she looked into the mirror. Kagome was finally going to have her first date with InuYasha! As much as she was excited about going out to declare their status as boyfriend and girlfriend (figuratively speaking of course), she was nervous. But really, nervous was an understatement. She had never had a boyfriend in her life and had no idea about how she should behave as such in a relationship. But Kagome realized that never mattered: only her love for InuYasha did. That calmed her down a little bit; there was another fear that did not seem to vanish - no matter how many tries Kagome attempted.

It was the fact that.. InuYasha was a half-demon. Kagome certainly loved him for who he was, but there was no doubt, the people in Japan (or at least a fair number) did not particularly take a liking to half-demons. The last thing that InuYasha needed was more pain. Kagome did not want that to happen; she would protect him a thousand times over if she had to keep him safe... There was no doubt that Kagome's loyalty and love far surpassed how pure some people's hearts really were.

But apart from all the nerves, she felt giddy. Considering she never got to wore anything so much girly in her life, she decided to stick to something simple yet elegant. Hopefully InuYasha would think she'd look pretty.. But then Kagome remembered that he already thought she was beautiful. Even if he used a curse word to empasize his point. Kagome couldn't help but giggle, as she remembered the flustered expression written on his face that day... It had been quite apparent that he had thought that much about her since the beginning.

"Kagome? Are you ready dear?" Sakura called, interrupting Kagome from her thoughts.

"Yes, Mom!" Kagome replied. She looked straight back in the mirror - just to make sure that she was happy with her appearance.

Kagome's raven hair still maintained its natural waves that curled slightly at the tips, but with a lavender headband, not only did it make her hair look less wild but it also matched her eyes (as well as the rest of her outfit). She wore a royal purple t-shirt and navy blue skinny jeans that showed off her lean figure. To top it all off, she wore a pair of black flats. And the fact that she had next to no make-up on (just lip gloss), she swore that she looked good. After that reassurance, Kagome practically ran down the stairs - not even wanting to keep her boyfriend from waiting much longer than originally intended.

"Hey InuYasha, ready to go?" Kagome asked cheerfully, noting the way his golden eyes skimmed over her like she was a sort of goddess.

"Keh. Took you long enough." Of course InuYasha had to cover up his true emotions with a statement like that. But Kagome wasn't going to call him out on that.

Kagome gave InuYasha a brief kiss on the cheek, much to InuYasha's surprise. She could pretty much feel his cheeks warming up; it was quite adorable, to be honest.

"Well, Mom, I guess we're off," Kagome said, as she took a hold of InuYasha's hand. And to her surprise, he didn't pull away - he squeezed back; not to mention that his hand was incredibly warm and smooth - never rough around the edges. But the same could be said about his heart; there was a barrier that prevented anyone from knowing his true self except Kagome had broken through it.

Sakura giggled, also noticing the expression on InuYasha's face. "Have fun. But there's one thing I need to say before you go, InuYasha. Kagome means the entire world to me -"

"I won't let anything happen to her."

Sakura nodded. She knew that InuYasha was telling the truth; she also knew that he would never mean to hurt her.. Even though he was a little rough around the edges, InuYasha had a heart and Sakura was certain that he knew how to use it. She was more than certain that Kagome was the one for him. "And Kagome, do keep this one. But.. please don't try to do anything out of your comfort zone."

Kagome blushed, knowing the full meaning behind this advice. Couldn't her mother wait until their relationship was scurrying along perfectly before telling her to think wisely? Then again, Sakura did care.. so Kagome wasn't going to say anything that might jeopardize her mother's intentions for her daughter.

"Bye, Mom!" Kagome waved a temporary farewell, as she dragged InuYasha out the door with her.

Sakura chuckled. InuYasha was her ideal son-in-law. She even briefly wondered when they were planning to get married...

**:3 :3 :3**

Clad in an orange tube top, blue jeans and black sneakers, Rin knew she looked good. If her instinct wasn't giving an indication, she certainly wouldn't know if several people within the park staring at her would be an indication. Sure, she felt a little uncomfortable under their gazes, but a part of her sort of liked the attention. Rin even wondered if Sesshomaru would notice...

Rin couldn't help but blush, as she held a staring contest with the ground. She shouldn't care what Sesshomaru would have thought of her, but she did care. He was one of those men that you had to impress - no question. It only took one look at him to just know it. She truly didn't know him well enough to assume things, but again, the aura he possessed was cold enough to warn off anyone that had every intention to get close to him. If Rin had the opportunity to be allowed to know what's going on inside of his mind (more precisely what he thought about her), she'd take it. But to be honest, she loved a guy who was a mystery - it'd give her the chance to figure him out on her own. But considering she had next to no boyfriends in her life, it wasn't like she was an experienced mind-reader.

Which led to this question - what did Sesshomaru like about her?

"Rin," Sesshomaru's smooth baritone voice pulled her out of her daydream. She blinked as she noticed him sitting beside her on the bench, looking forward - not in her direction - with his arms crossed. Rin had to admire him: his clothes consisted of a white suit - clearly meant to perfect his looks. And did he ever look good in that suit...

"Oh uh.. hello Sesshomaru." Remind Rin to talk to Sango about raising her self-esteem. Especially around the male species. "Nice weather we're having, huh?" And for the record, let Rin remind you guys that she had no experience with men.

"Rin," Sesshomaru stated stoically. Rin tensed immediately... She was instinctively embarrassed that she was trying too hard. "Relax." It was at that moment when he gazed into her eyes with no hostility. Did she have to remind herself every time that one thing she liked about him was his crysal eyes...

"I apologize. I uh.. never had a guy interested in me. I'm not like other girls," Rin smiled, but she could tell that Sesshomaru knew that it was a fake one. As though she was still cringing over the fact that it hurt that no one liked her for who she was. "The boys at school only pay attention to their looks. And even if they did pay attention to me, they'd only think of me as a friend," Rin shrugged. "And really - what is there to like about me?" Rin babbled. When she was nervous, this was what she tended to do. Let's just hope that Sesshomaru didn't think she was a complete moron.

"This Sesshomaru knows that men such as the ones you described are not worth the trouble of 'liking'."

Rin blushed. He defended her honour... If only there were guys like that every where she saw fit!

"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked, noticing the colour of her cheeks turning red.

Rin shook her head. "It's nothing. It's just.. no one had ever stood up to me like that," She gave him a tiny smile - filled with gratitude. "Thank you."

Sesshomaru froze; it was that exact same smile that he had managed to conjure from his first love... His chest felt like it was being compressed as his emotions - for lack of a better term - stood frozen still.

It was Rin's turn to act confused. "Is everything okay?" Was Sesshomaru also not used to such praise?

Sesshomaru pursed his lips. "This Sesshomaru wants to know why you smile like that."

Rin turned her head sideways, contemplating a good enough answer to give him. "You mean when I'm sad or hurt? Well.. I don't think you need a good reason to smile. As long as you have hope, you can pretty much smile at everything."

"Hope?" Sesshomaru wasn't familiar with the term hope.. Until he had Rinna in his life. But even that love had not worked too well; in the end, he had lost her.

"Yeah, but I suppose good company works too. As long as you have something to hold on to, life will turn out to be a good thing." The problem was that Sesshomaru had no longer anyone to hold on to.. to care about.. "I have my friends and even if I can't find someone, I won't let that bother me anymore. Heartbreak isn't worth it," Rin added sheepishly.

"This Sesshomaru.. knows that feeling."

Rin gazed into his eyes, giving him an empathetic expression. "Did you love that person dearly?"

Seeing that he was not going to respond, she knew that she had hit a nerve. She could see it in his eyes: she could see the pain, that was no doubt buried for a long time. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business. I shouldn't have brought that up. For now on, let's not talk about that sort of thing. Deal?"

This was a risk: could Sesshomaru choose this path? Could he finally move on from the devastating loss he endured centuries ago? Could he warm up even more to Rin?

"You have this Sesshomaru's word."

**:3 :3 :3**

"I have to say Miroku; at first I had my doubts about you," Sango said, noting the fact that Miroku had not once taken his eyes off of Sango. If she did not possess any sort of feeling for him, she would say that this was creepy - no doubt.

Miroku sighed heavilly, taking a sip of his coffee before proceeding on to tell his girlfriend, "Why do you strike an arrow in my heart, fair Sango?"

Sango grinned. If there was any consolation, this guy was a charmer. "You just need to hear these things, Miroku. Second of all, I'm actually glad this all happened."

It was Miroku's time to smirk. It took all of Sango's self-control to NOT drool over the fact that he looked absolutely dashing with his confidence written on his face... "You could not resist me. Is that it?"

Sango took a sip of her latte, then she leaned in as though she were about to tell a secret only meant for Miroku's ears. "Well, I tried to. But I still can." Sango had a strong will.

"Ah, I love a strong woman. But let's not forget who pulls the strings here." Sango gave him a skeptical look. She wasn't so sure about Miroku's logic sometimes...

"Anyways, Kagome's safe and sound, as well as Rin."

"So, miss Kagome is seeing this InuYasha fellow? What is he like?"

Sango smirked. "I think I should allow you to be the judge of that."

Miroku blinked. "You make him sound like he's a villain."

Sango shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's more complicated than that. But if he saw you trying to put the moves on Kagome, he can be."

Miroku gulped the remaining bit of coffee he had. "Remind me never to hit on another woman again." Now that he was well aware of what a sort of man Kagome was seeing, who was he to start assuming that any other pretty lady didn't have that kind of man to protect them? He liked his manhood where it was, thank you very much.

"Trust me. I'll be around."

"So tell me about what Rin is up to these days."

"I think she's in love now. She has a date with him at the park today."

"And who is the lucky guy?" Miroku asked in an interested tone.

"His name is Sesshomaru, I do believe."

Miroku widened his eyes; if he had been drinking, he would have spat it all out after hearing this development. "You mean the reclusive, cold, business man that lives alone in the woods? How did these two meet?"

Sango replied slowly, "I assume you know about him then?"

Miroku shook his head. "All I know is that he's not exactly the type of man to ask to advocate equality between humans and demons."

Sango furrowed her eyebrows. "He's a demon?"

Miroku nodded. "One hundred percent."

Sango bit her lip. "Well, what I heard from Rin was that he saved her life. Numerous times, actually."

Miroku pursed his lips. "Don't let this cloud your judgment. It's just what I've heard is all. But.. I have heard that his father was one to encourage human and demon relationships. He had fallen in love with a mortal woman, after all."

"Whatever. I just want Rin to be happy."

Miroku grabbed Sango's hand. "And I want you to be screaming in joy once I ask you to bear my children."

Sango giggled. "Maybe not this time." Maybe in the far future, would she consider.. But since Sango was not even eighteen, there was no reason for her to start thinking about things like that. But having a family didn't sound unappealing to her...

**:3 :3 :3**

"If you're done having fun at my expense, can we go now?" InuYasha growled, crossing his arms - clearly regretting this whole trip.

Kagome giggled. As much as she wanted to correct InuYasha, she couldn't find the words to say anything in response. But one look at InuYasha's perfect form was enough for her to go speechless. It was her idea to find modern clothes for InuYasha to wear. After all, it was the twenty-first century.. It would be better to have InuYasha blend in - particularly from the enemies he had in his life... But Kagome wasn't going to control InuYasha's life.

Now that thought was put aside, she took the time to fully check out InuYasha's physique in dark jeans and a wife-beater. Kagome blushed as she took her time fully appreciating the muscles that InuYasha had hidden within the kimono he usually wore. How come she didn't notice how gorgeous he looked before?

InuYasha noticed her expression. He smirked; his ego was obviously boosted, seeing that Kagome never had a particular response ready for him. "See something you like?" He never gave a damn about what other people thought of him, but he really cared what Kagome thought..

"Meh. I've seen better," Kagome joked, winking in InuYasha's direction. InuYasha immediately growled.

"You better not be checking out any other bastard!"

"I'm just kidding, InuYasha. You're the only guy, remember?"

InuYasha turned, an embarrassed blush painted all over his face. "I better be."

"How about we get going? We picked out more than enough clothes for you, and I'm guessing you're hungry. I know I am."

InuYasha grabbed Kagome's hand, squeezing it gently. "Then let's go."

Kagome loved it when he initiated romantic intimacy... it was extremely rare for him to let his true colours show, which made it all the more adorable. She kissed his lips - albeit briefly. "Okay."

But as much as both of them wanted to relent in their passion, eternal peace was not achieved yet. Naraku's existence was proof of that.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I have to say.. I think I like the Rin/Sesshomaru interaction the best.. I'm sorry but it's kind of true! LOL**

**Mind giving me a review? Pretty please? :3**


	34. Beautiful Memories

**You guys make my day! Always! :) Just thought you should know.. hehe. And let this be your Christmas present.. ;)**

**And apparently, you guys want more romance! Looks like my plans for this chapter is put off until the next chapter...**

**The Queen of Water**: You're basically the most patient person that reviewed on this thing.. LOL. Thanks so much for your review!

**Inuyashasgurlforfivelifetime s**: I have to say that you obviously loved this chapter. ;) Thanks for reviewing!

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I know! I think it's like my favourite chapter of all.. hehe :)

**TheRealInuyasha**: REALLY? Shippo and Kagome? :P No comment on that.. But yes, I like that pairing far better. Thanks for reviewing, ja!

**Warm-Amber92**: Everybody should be feeling the love.. although it's not Valentine's Day yet. LOL. THANK YOU! Someone who loves that scene just as well as I do. :D

**innocentanimefan**: Yep - there's no one in real life that's just as narcissistic. LOL. Or is there? :P

**Seeker Heart**: Unfortunately, I have to tell you that Naraku does show up in the next chapter. So sorry! ^_^

**Sunrise Phoenix**: I'm guessing that you want more romance.. :) Rock on and keep reading! :)

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, blame Naraku!**

**Chapter 33**

"Wow.. Those stars are just so beautiful," Rin sighed in utter delight, as her cocoa eyes glowed with happiness..

She had always been happy... Even now, lying under the midnight sapphire sky, watching the stars glitter with beauty and grace, with Sesshomaru... That made her happy.

"It really makes you wonder how big your problems are - just by gazing at the stars," Rin commented, gaining the attention of Sesshomaru - whose crysal eyes glowed brilliantly in the dark... "It's like you have to make the most of every moment because we're given so few of them. Especially me," Rin admitted, as she turned to meet his gorgeous eyes..

"You have never been happy?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I've always been happy, it's just.." Rin's smile seemed too forced... The joy in her eyes suddenly turned to sorrow, as particular unpleasant memories ran through her mind. Memories that she'd rather forget... "I'm sorry. Just.. forget about what I said," Rin whispered, hugging her knees and her back tensed..

"Sorrow does not suit you, Rin." Sesshomaru knew what he had spoken of was the truth. Seeing Rin in such a sorrowful state caused him to ache.. Everything within him caused him pain...

"That's what my friends tell me and I try to listen to them by smiling all the time - like I do have a reason to smile." And at that, Rin gave Sesshomaru the most saddest smile.. Filled with pain and despair...And Sesshomaru couldn't help but notice tears slipping down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry about all of this. Ever since I've met you..." Rin felt as though her breath had been taken from her as she caught his heated gaze.. She couldn't help but blush as he leaned closer, as though he were eager to hear her opinion. "You intrigued me." It was not a lie; though Rin had denied that she had fallen for him instantly dozens of times until she had been rescued twice by him. "At first I told myself that I was just grateful to him for saving my life but.. I guess it's something more." After consideration of her words, she chose to end it like that. She couldn't reveal that she was in love with him: only that she was attracted to him.

"So I asked myself why you saved me every minute of the day. I still remember you telling me that you had honour that surpasses any other man..." Rin chuckled. "I couldn't get it in my thick skull until that particular phrase repeated in my brain."

Sesshomaru had listened to her words..then noted to himself how beautiful Rin was, with the celestial moon complimenting her natural complexion...

"I just couldn't stop thinking about you since then, Sesshomaru. I.. really.. like you," Rin's cheeks started to blush - a light shade of rosy pink colouring her cheekbones; to Sesshomaru, she appeared more beautiful with that rather than the thick coats of make-up human women painted themselves with in this day and age.

Rin felt somewhat foolish for confessing her feelings of attraction toward Sesshomaru. How could she tell him that she liked him when it had only been the first date? Was that normal to go that fast in a short amount of time? But it was far too late to take back her words now..

Before she knew it, she felt his hands gently cup her cheeks, his fingers brushing away the tears that stained them. Rin could feel her cheeks get warmer and her heart beating faster by the second.

"This Sesshomaru's heart belongs to you..." He murmured.

Rin couldn't help but feel as though she were living a dream.. She sighed, as her hands placed themselves untop of Sesshomaru's - which continued to cradle her in the most delicate manner.

Was this what love felt like? A plethora of warm, comfortable emotions sinking deep into her skin? When her heart was beating fast like the wind?

If it was.. then Rin wanted to feel that forever..

**:3 :3 :3**

"I've always loved seeing the stars; ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to reach up, grab them and keep them," Kagome sighed, reminiscing in childhood memories.. She leaned into her boyfriend's warmth; InuYasha's arms surrounding her.. protecting her, as though he was her guardian angel.

"Keh. What's so great about these stars?" InuYasha mumbled, unwittingly shattering the euphoria Kagome was feeling during her daydream...

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "They are so great because they're beautiful -" Kagome paused, taking a moment to think.. Did InuYasha think that she was just so beautiful that the stars paled in comparison to her? Sure, it sounded a little self-centered, but it would boost Kagome's self-esteem up a few notches.. She shouldn't care what a guy thinks, she reminded herself plenty of that.. But InuYasha's opinion mattered, obviously..

"Am I prettier than the stars, InuYasha?" Kagome fluttered her eyelashes, looking deep into InuYasha's gorgeous honey hues.

"You really give a damn about what I think, Kagome? You are more beautiful than those puny stars," InuYasha replied, his warm breath entering her skin...

"Need I remind you that you matter to me?" Kagome giggled, as his lips lightly kissed her forehead.

"Need I remind you that you matter to me?" InuYasha asked, repeating her question in a more.. impatient manner.

"I already know that you love me -"

InuYasha's fingers caressed her cheekbone, causing her to stay silent. "You're the only woman I've loved in so long," InuYasha whispered huskilly, his eyes piercing into Kagome's chocolate orbs, trying to convince her.. Luckily for him, Kagome didn't need that much convincing.. She always believed him; there was no reason to not trust InuYasha. For the past few months, she had fallen for him. Pretty hard. Not a day went past when she thought about not reading that letter Myouga had given to her.. If she hadn't done that.. this man would have still suffered from cruelty and abuse. InuYasha would have had no one to save him..

"Kagome? Why are you crying?"

Kagome wiped her tears, which were forming in her eyes. "I'm just happy that I met you InuYasha. I feel like I don't get to tell you that enough." _I told myself I wouldn't cry!_ Kagome berated herself for showing InuYasha her tears.. It wasn't the first time he had seen her cry, but it must be the first that she was crying in joy...

"Well I already know that," InuYasha said smugly, rolling his eyes.

"But I know that Mom loves having you around. You're like a son to her, she tells me."

The flash in InuYasha's eyes told Kagome that he was flattered that he was now a part of the family. He hadn't felt acceptance from anyone for such a long time.. Especially from those who didn't care that he was only half-demon.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I'm sorry.. No Sango and Miroku in this one! ^_^ I promise to make it up to you!**

**Since this was a requested chapter, it's shorter than usual..**

**But would you consider leaving a review? Pretty please? :3**


	35. Freedom Of Speech

**Congratulations goes toward ****Seeker Heart**** for being review #200! :D **

**But thanks still goes out to...**

**TaylorRiley17**: I'm pretty sure you're the one that truly connected with that chapter. LOL. But seriously, thank you so much for reviewing.. :)

**CityOfFallenAshes**: InuYasha IS so adorable.. I think I love his puppy ears the most. Or the fact that he has a ****** attitude. LOL. Sesshy's okay I guess.. (just kidding) XD

**innocentanimefan**: You are so awesome for reviewing! :D

**Warm-Amber92**: Yeah, so am I! ^_^ Isn't it so adorable that he said that to her? If only such a thing happened to me in real life.. LOL.

**Seeker Heart**: Aww, and you are beautiful for reviewing :D Can't wait to hear from you!

**Status:** **Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! ^_^**

**Chapter 34**

"What happened this time?" Naraku narrowed his bloodthirsty, cruel and calculating crimson eyes in detest, awaiting for an answer...

Kagura failed to meet his terrifying gaze.. instead, her eyes went straight to floor - as though she had seen something far more interesting. In truth, she was quite frightened.. Naraku's temper was quite formidable and she herself would rather die a quick death than be forced to tolerate his behaviour... But it wasn't as if Kagura had a choice in the matter. Freedom was far from her reach now...

"Kagura, I believe I asked you a question." It was at that point when Kagura was overtaken by fear.. She was fearing failure and fearing the man - or should she say, demon - that could take her life away in a moment...

"InuYasha killed Bankotsu and the girl is with him." Her throat was dry and hoarse.. It was like she was dehydrating a little too quickly. And she found it hard to breathe as well... Did Naraku control her oxygen intake? To Kagura, it felt like that.

All of a sudden, her chest felt like it was being compressed: undescribable pain flowing through her veins.. It was as though the pain itself was screaming in her ears, demanding her to acknowledge it. Kagura gasped, as she collapsed onto the floor, losing her breath as she did so.

"In other words, what have you done?" Naraku growled, his eyes glowing maliciously in the darkness..

"I.. I failed you," Kagura managed to stutter out a loud enough response, but it was getting more difficult to breathe... At this point, Kagura should have welcomed death with open arms. Naraku would never have given her freedom - even if she had done what he wanted her to do.. He never had rewarded any of his minions; he only promised them lies. Kagura was ashamed that she had been caught up in her silly dream..

"And what have I told you about failure, my dear?" His voice sent cold shivers down her spine..

"Failure is.. unacceptable."

"Correct. What is it that you want most, Kagura?"

If the past Kagura had been asked this, she would have said freedom.. But the present Kagura.. what did she want? What did she truly desire above anything else now? What value was her life now? She had always been expendable and nothing but.. She had only been saved by Naraku to do his bidding: anything else was out of the question.

"Now you see, Kagura, your life has no meaning."

Kagura shut her eyes, hoping to get through this.. but a part of her knew that she would never live to see the next day. But hope was something that she gave up on a long time ago. Hope had been nothing but disappointment - little reason to put faith in.

"So what does that make you?"

_A mindless puppet_, was what Kagura wanted to say, but her strength did not allow her to speak her mind. Instead, she grinded her teeth and straightened her posture to the best of her abilities.

"Perfectly expendable in every shape and form."

"Then.. kill me," Kagura whispered.

One finger traced her cheekbone delicately. "I could do that, my dear, but who will kill InuYasha for me? Who will retrieve the girl?"

Kagura would not do it. She was not going to live with herself - surviving only on pain, suffering.. despair. She was not going to abide by any other man's rule. She was a wind sorceress.. She was meant to be wild and free; she could not be tamed.

She did not want this life. She was not willing anymore. "Find.. someone.. willing."

Her death was inevitable by now.

"If you insist upon testing my patience, Kagura.. Is death what you truly want now?"

Death was the only way for Kagura to achieve her freedom. "At least.. I will.. be..free.. of you."

Naraku laughed, his eyes darkening with amusement. "You are quite wrong, Kagura. You will never be free of me. Even in death."

Then Kagura had received her wish.. Though the thought of him tormenting her in the next life was enough to haunt her.. even in death.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Need I remind you that I live here now? Where the hell am I supposed to go?" InuYasha growled, not pleased by the sudden turn of events. He crossed his arms, with a large frown on his face, as he awaited for a logical answer. Kagome should have a good answer for him.. SHE was the one that was kicking him out, as of right now.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Need I remind you that you can start making friends with Sango's boyfriend?"

InuYasha scoffed in disbelief. "I don't make friends, as you so put it, Kagome."

Kagome was desperate enough to get InuYasha elsewhere at this point. She was long overdue with a girl's night in at her place, and there was bound to be some gossip about their love lives. InuYasha would not want to hear any of it...

"Come on, InuYasha. Please? Pretty please? I'll make it up to you," Kagome begged, her beautiful brown eyes filled with hope. Not going to lie, she would make it up to InuYasha but not in the way that you'd think...

"Fine." Kagome knew that he probably accepted because of his idea on how she'd make it up to him. Certainly Kagome would have been ticked, but this was not Miroku - who clearly fantasized pretty.. questionable things from time to time.

Kagome kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "Thank you, InuYasha," she said sweetly, giving him a grateful smile.

InuYasha blushed in response; obviously he was still embarrassed that she'd take notice in his actions.. He wasn't used to being such a 'gentleman'. Whatever that was.

He was still dwelling in his thoughts when Kagome took the cue to head down to the living room, where no doubt her friends Sango and Rin would be waiting for her.

Throughout the trip, Kagome was thinking.. About how InuYasha had truly become a sweet man.. How he gave up some arguments, but hell-bent on others.. Kagome knew that he would try to make her happy the best way that he could. And Kagome would do everything in her power to make him happy too.

"Aww, looks like Kagome's thinking of a certain someone!" Rin gleefully declared, while clapping her hands together. Kagome wondered how Rin could find the joy in everything.. But she wished that she was always happy - always smiling. Rin was her role model, in that aspect.

"Nice pajamas, where'd you get them from?" Kagome ignored the massive blush on her face (for once) as well as the amused gaze of Sango, while she inspected Rin's choice of night clothing.

"Oh thank you. I got them from online. JC Penney," Rin smiled, though Kagome could tell that she wasn't used to such compliments about her appearance. Kagome knew how she was hiding her self-esteem from time to time (because of lack of guys that seem to be genuinely interested in her), but never really said anything about it. But ever since Kagome heard from Rin that she had a guy in her life now, Kagome couldn't help but be truly happy for her.

Kagome sat upon her couch, with every intention of making herself comfortable. "So..."

"What's been on your mind, Kagome?" Sango smirked, as she saw Kagome's cheeks slowly turning red again. "Come on, there's no need to blush. We all know that you're in love with InuYasha."

"But that doesn't excuse the fact that I'm not used to talking about stuff like this," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Don't mind her, Kagome. Sango's still coming off from her high from her hot date with Miroku," Rin smiled wickedly, using her thumb to emphasize her point.

"It was not a hot date, all right?" Sango said, not even a minute after Rin had finished her sentence. "It was just a coffee run."

Kagome and Rin shared a disbelieving look. They doubted that was all that happened... "Really? So no steamy make-out sessions? No romantic stargazing?" Kagome inquired. She knew that she and Rin were being pushy.. but then again, should she feel guilty? Sango had practically done the same thing to her. Didn't she?

"Okay, we did look at the stars. But no hanky-panky happened." Rin and Kagome could barely contain their laughter. "What?" Sango asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"Sango, no one says hanky-panky anymore," Rin giggled.

Sango rolled her eyes, wondering why her friends always had to judge her on things she said...

"Only Sango can make 'hanky-panky' be in style," Kagome chuckled.

"Alright, enough about me. What about.. you, Rin?" Sango inquired, while opening a bottle of Pepsi, then taking a very, unladylike gulp.. "What was your date like?"

Rin could not hide her smile.. Rin was glowing with happiness, as Kagome and Sango could tell. From what they could tell, something did happen on Rin's date..

"It was.. nice," Rin admitted.

It was Sango's turn to act unsatisfied with her friend's response. "Come on, Rin. Spit it out. Did you guys kiss?"

Rin blushed, her eyes avoiding Sango's curious brown hues. "We just talked.. and he said that.. his heart belongs to me." It wasn't surprising that was the reason why she was grinning. Sango just knew that this girl was in love...

"Oh my gosh, that is so romantic," Kagome squealed.

"But we haven't even kissed yet."

Sango smirked. "So you admit that you wanted him to."

"Seriously, Sango? I didn't want to appear as this wanton slut, okay? Besides - there's always the next date."

"And we all know that InuYasha and Kagome had kissed. Isn't that right, Kagome?" Sango drew her friend into the conversation at hand. She felt as though Kagome's opinions were severly needed in this case.

"Oh yeah. We got it on a bunch of times," Kagome replied sarcastically.

"Well if that's the case, do you use protection?" Rin piped in, currently not aware that Kagome had merely been joking..

"So you're curious about sex, are you Rin?" Sango pondered out loud. "I wonder.. Kagome will probably tell you what it's like."

At that point, Kagome couldn't rein her laughter in anymore.. "Let me remind you guys that I'm still a virgin!"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore!" Rin cried out, plugging her ears, trying to preserve her sanity.

"Okay, then let's talk flaws."

"Flaws?" Rin tilted her head to the side, curious, while her hands slowly removed themselves from her ears. A girl had to be careful of what the other was trying to tell her... "But I just went on one date with Sesshomaru."

"Well, not everyone is perfect, are they?"

"So then why don't you start, Kagome?" Sango raised an eyebrow, appearing to be neutral, but really, she was secretly eager to find out what Kagome really thought about InuYasha.

Kagome pursed her lips. Yes, not everyone was perfect.. but did that mean that InuYasha had a lot of 'bad' things about him? She only focused on the good things.. And she never thought twice about doing anything else. When she remembered that fateful night.. when InuYasha saved her from Bankotsu.. he had a demonic side which appeared before her. Kagome didn't even want to think about whether or not that was a fault.

"I don't know what to say... Although his attitude needs some adjustment. But.. what do I know?" Kagome knew that his attitude was what drew her to him in the first place.. His remarks - which were filled with anger - was what forced Kagome to never give up on him. So that even shouldn't count as a fault.

"Well let me tell you a thing or two about Miroku," Sango felt as though tension was building up in the room. "He has these.. tiny, feminine hands like a T-rex."

All of the girls couldn't help but laugh, entertained by the idea of Miroku appearing to be a T-Rex.

"Is feminine really the right word?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

If only Miroku knew what the girls had in store for their little sleepover. But even so, it was not as if his protests would have made the slightest difference.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Naraku is very displeased, is he not? 0_0 Looks like he's going to be taking matters into his own hands... OH NO! :P**

**Please leave a review: I'd really like to know what you think!**


	36. Bourne To Be Wild

**I hope you guys enjoyed your holidays! I know I did. I got a whole bunch of clothes, the first two Jason Bourne movies, Taken ( with Liam Neeson kicking the bad guys' butts! XD) and some other stuff. Ahh.. Christmas. But I just love spending time with family, you know? :)**

**Taria Robotnik**: I bet you weren't expecting any of that.. XD

**innocentanimefan**: If he knew that Sango thinks he has tiny t-rex hands.. oh boy; I bet he'd show her that they're NOT an issue. LOL.

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I know.. I kind of got inspired by the movie This Means War. Have you seen that? It's got Chris Pine, Tom Hardy and Reese Witherspoon in it. LOL. Best.. movie.. ever.

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Tell me about it.. I deal with internet crashes some of the time. It just annoys me. LOL. I'm thinking that Miroku is only going to test InuYasha's patience in the near future... he he... :)

**Warm-Amber92**: I always kind of liked Kagura... Now that you mention it.. I think I might let that happen. LOL! Will it happen? :P You'll see...

**Seeker Heart**: Naraku is finally getting to get on my nerves too. As for InuYasha and Miroku.. all sorts of things could happen. XD

**Menarie**: The sleepover continues this chapter, thanks to an interesting contribution to Warm-Amber92.. LOL. But seriously - this chapter is something you WANT to read! xD

**MindMojo**: AWW, thank you so much! I hope you love this chapter; humour and 'drama' ensue.. XD

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! ^_^**

**Chapter 35**

Miroku, no doubt, was the most 'interesting' person InuYasha had ever met.. And when he said interesting, he truly meant that Miroku was perverted, somewhat self-absorbed and.. "determined". That was putting it mildly.

For the past twenty minutes, InuYasha had to spend most of his time beating Miroku senselessly, without mercy (seeing that he had perverted intentions...), to stop him from interrupting Kagome's 'sleepover'. It was the introduction to a new friendship.

"Come now, InuYasha - there's no need to bring upon violence," Miroku chuckled sheepishly, as a pair of golden eyes (filled with ferocious rage) stared at him with such intensity.

InuYasha crossed his arms, all without taking his gaze off of the teenaged boy across from him. "If you had just sat your ass down in the first place, maybe you wouldn't have that ugly bump on your head." But in all honesty, InuYasha knew he deserved it.

"Need I remind you that there is a lack of entertainment in Miss Kagome's guest bedroom?" Miroku raised an eyebrow, trying to sound convincing. But once again, InuYasha was not buying it. He was full of crap... And he certainly didn't take him for a fool if he didn't know what Miroku had in mind.

InuYasha also didn't understand why Miroku had been invited to stay the night also.. He had been constantly bitched about the fact that the girls didn't want him near them while they were sleeping.. so why would Miroku stay? It did not make any sense to him. Plus it wasn't like he was going to get an answer to his question.

"Need I remind you that if YOU try something, I get in trouble for it?" InuYasha scoffed.

"Don't be so silly, InuYasha. The girls wouldn't be able to resist," Miroku wiggled his eyebrows in a flirtatious manner, causing InuYasha to roll his eyes in response.

"Hitting perverts such as yourself? No, they wouldn't," InuYasha retorted with a sarcastic remark, as he leaned back against the foot of the guest bed. Quite frankly, he wanted to go to sleep.. but the scents of three women (including his beloved) was enough to keep him awake. Especially Kagome's.. He had to admit - just this once - that he was becoming addicted (heavily addicted) to Kagome's scent.. It soothed him..

"Sango and Rin might, but the lovely Miss Kagome?" Miroku trailed off to ponder, his fingers grasping his chin as though he were impersonating a detective.

Just the mention of Kagome's name in a sentence such as that, where the suggestiveness is completely obvious, was enough to turn on InuYasha's Pissed Switch. "Don't even think about it," InuYasha growled, almost not recognizing his tone of voice to be husky.

"I knew dog demons were quite protective of their mates," Miroku pointed out, while his eyes widened. "So does that mean..."

InuYasha's cheeks quickly turned into a shade of fire; he felt like they were the flames of Hell - his cheeks were that hot enough, he supposed. He dwelled on the thought of Miroku's comment. Kagome.. his mate? He certainly knew he couldn't live without her now; he also knew he couldn't picture being with anyone else. InuYasha did not like the thought of Kagome loving another, so it was a no brainer. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her...

"You are a lucky man, my friend," Miroku sighed, and InuYasha thought he sounded melancholy. "The day I ask Sango to marry me will be the day my hands will be torn off for good."

"If you stop acting like a fucking pervert, she would marry you."

But before any of them could say anything, InuYasha's triangular puppy ears flickered, as the sound of Sango's voice filled them. _"And we all know that InuYasha and Kagome had kissed. Isn't that right, Kagome?" _InuYasha's heart was pumping against his chest.. Suddenly, curiosity overtook him and he was just eager to know what Kagome would say..

_"Oh yeah. We got it on a bunch of times." _InuYasha's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What the hell...did that even mean?

_"Well if that's the case, do you use protection?"_ Protection?

_"So you're curious about sex, are you Rin?"_ If InuYasha's cheeks were burning red before.. they certainly could be burgundy by now. Not only was he.. disgusted that girls talked of such.. intimacy, his curiosity was also getting the best of him. Great. Now he was going to turn into a pervert.

"What's wrong, InuYasha?" Miroku inquired, noting the way InuYasha's facial expression turned to being embarrassed. But he also noticed the way his ears flickered randomly... Ah, now he knew.

"What do those fine ears of yours tell you?"

"Shut up!" InuYasha roared, but to no avail, the blush did not disappear.

_"I wonder.. Kagome will probably tell you what it's like." _WHAT? The thought of Kagome being that intimate with a man.. It absolutely, positively, irrevocably pissed InuYasha off..

_"Let me remind you guys that I'm still a virgin!"_ InuYasha slightly relaxed.. For one second, he considered ripping some bastard's head off. Unfortunately for Miroku, he would have been the prime target.

"Ohh.. so they're talking about sex, aren't they?" It'd make sense that the subject would be embarrassing for InuYasha. Though Miroku had only known him for one hour.. he could just tell that he'd get easilly upset about some things.

"Give it a rest," InuYasha - not so gently - punched Miroku for the upteenth time.

"I'd give to have ears like yours..." Miroku sighed, pursing his lips in a straight line.

Leave it to the freaking pervert to say something like that...

_"Well, let me tell you a thing about Miroku; he has these.. tiny, feminine hands like a T-rex."_ InuYasha couldn't help but chuckle, smirking in amusement. Even though he didn't know what a T-Rex was, picturing his new 'friend' with small hands was quite hilarious.

"What?" Miroku asked, confusedly. "What is so funny?"

"According to Sango, you have 'tiny, feminine hands'," InuYasha mocked, raising his voice to what a female would sound like. Unfortunately, it was not his greatest talent. But Miroku got the picture, at least.

Miroku, as a result, dropped his jaw. And left it there for what it seemed to be five minutes.

**:3 :3 :3**

"So Rin, what are Sesshomaru's flaws?" Sango asked, leaning forward as though she were a therapist and not as though she were Rin's best friend.

Rin pursed her lips. Without a moment's hesitation, she quickly replied, "He doesn't have any flaws; I can't think of anything bad about him," Rin added as an afterthought. It was true; Sesshomaru was the ideal epitome of perfection.. Or at least, he could appear that way.. It didn't occur to Rin until now that he could have had a rough past. After that, she remembered that he had gone through something terrible, as he briefly mentioned to her, about his love life. Ever since she met him, he had hidden behind his pain-stricken eyes. That was something that Rin intended to change.

"Come on, Rin. There has to be something." Both Kagome and Rin wondered how on Earth Sango had become this gossip seeker...

Rin tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I can't think of anything."

"She hasn't been on a third date yet," Kagome rolled her eyes at her friend's 'encouraging' attitude. "Anyways, enough about boys."

"So what movie should we watch?" Rin inquired, before Sango could reply to Kagome's comments. "I'm actually feeling up to watching Jason Bourne."

Both Kagome and Sango nodded in agreement, as their dark eyes widened in excitement. "Yes, yes, yes. Jason Bourne - hands down."

Sango couldn't help but giggle. "He's so hot."

Kagome corrected her. "You mean Matt Damon is so hot."

In response, Sango shrugged her shoulders. "Well, they're pretty much the same person."

"Unfortunately, he's not in the fourth one," Rin simpered, hugging her knees.

"So which one should we watch? The first?" Kagome suggested.

Within the next five minutes, the three girls were settled and even moreso content with watching The Bourne Identity.

However, what they did not count on.. was that a dark and ominous presence rested outside Kagome's house.

**:3 :3 :3**

Naraku smirked, finally feeling pleased... This was her house and just behind those doors lied the girl he claimed for himself... If he wanted to, he could go in now and take her.. But he was not that stupid to think that there was no one else in there.

He knew that InuYasha was in there with her.. much to his displeasure.

He also knew that there was two other girls in with her.. which made him rethink another step to his plan... Distractions were simple, yet cliche - but it would get the job done. It would make it all the more easier for him to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was Kagome.

"Lord Naraku," an anonymous voice stated, as his figure was covered entirely by the darkness. One could only see his ruby eyes through the mask that had concealed most of his face...

"Kugahari, glad that you could make it," Naraku smirked, as he gave his follower a warm welcome.

"I wish to kill the half-breed, sire."

Naraku turned around, giving his minion a cold, fierce glare. "That will be my pleasure, but you must incapacitate him. Nothing more."

The man whom Naraku called Kugahari snarled, but did not dare question his lord's orders. He did not want to pay the price for his insolence, which was his life. He did not want to end up like Kagura... Although he was quite similar to her; he was easilly indisposable, he had hatred for humans and half-breeds alike but he did not wish for freedom. He only desired revenge... For people such as Sesshomaru and abominations such as InuYasha.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Kagome, is everything alright?" Rin asked, noting the weery expression written all over her friend's facial features... She could see paranoia flicker within Kagome's chestnut orbs. She could also detect discomfort, as Kagome was immediately tensing.

Kagome had one of those bad feelings - like someone was near.. someone who was not welcome. She could feel that in her gut, as it clenched defensively. It was like Kagome could sense an evil aura right outside the house.. For some reason, she didn't dare question her feelings. She knew them to be true...

"Kagome?" Rin asked once more, although she sounded more concerned.

"Someone's here," Sango narrowed her eyes; she had been trained to detect auras and this one.. she could tell.. was demonic. There was no doubt any longer.. it was Naraku.

"What?" Rin whispered, as her eyes widened in fear and confusion.

Kagome's heartbeat drastically increased, but she didn't feel scared or.. worried. But she should feel worried for Rin, who had nothing to defend herself from demons..

"Should we.." Rin's throat was deadly sore and found it to be hard to talk...

"Rin - go find Miroku and InuYasha," Kagome stated, as she clenched her fists. Her eyes never once left the window, in fear that whatever it was out there.. would not scare her.

Rin did not argue with Kagome; she bolted up the stairs - hellbent on finding her friends' respective partners.

Meanwhile, Sango and Kagome sat still... waiting.

"Is it Naraku?" Kagome pondered out loud, as her breathing became slightly erratic. It tended to do that when she felt anxious; but Kagome shook her head. She could not afford to be helpless.. She just had to wait until InuYasha arrived...

Kagome prayed that it wasn't Naraku; she was certain she didn't want to see him.

"Yes. I'm sure of it."

A plethora of mixed feelings ran through Kagome's mind as she processed Sango's definitive answer. She licked her dry lips in anticipation, as both girls now awaited in silence...

But how could Kagome feel brave and courageous as of right this instant? Sango had been trained to deal with any possiblity and Kagome was not expecting any of this to happen... Without Sango, she would be completely helpless. Along with Rin..

"What does he want?" Kagome couldn't help but voice her question out loud. She knew that Naraku could never leave her or InuYasha alone... They had angered him immensely and now they were going to pay the price. But Kagome wasn't going to let that happen: no matter the cost.

"He wants you," Sango answered simply. "Or he could want all of us." Each of them had a history with him, after all.

Shivers cascaded down her spine..Kagome shook her head, clearing her mind of any troubling thoughts. She had to grow a pair of balls now.. "I won't let any of this happen to us. Naraku won't get away with what he's done." He couldn't.. Too many people had suffered - hell, even died - from his presence. Naraku's tyranny had to stop..

"I want justice served too, Kagome. I have to find my little brother and bring him back."

Kagome placed a hand, reassuringly, untop of Sango's shoulder - giving her all of her support. "I know you can. And I'm here with you all the way."

"Thanks, Kagome."

However, the room had gotten cold.. and dark.. The demonic aura had come closer - possibly within the house somewhere. ..Then came the malicious mad man's laugh.. "Such a heartwarming moment. I apologize in advance that I have to break it."

Then his form appeared within the amethyst abyss.. It was Naraku.

Sango was the one to break the tension first. "Naraku! What the hell do you want?"

Naraku, in return smiled.. but it was disturbing. "My sweet Sango; you should require that of me."

"To hell I will!" Sango snapped back in retaliation.

But Naraku merely gazed toward Kagome, who shrunk back in fear and discomfort.. She could not like the way he was staring at her. It was like he wanted her.. Nothing but disgust filled her insides at that moment. She would not be submitting to his perverted games...

"My lovely Kagome, I have not seen you in such a long time."

Kagome would have preferred it if she never saw him again.. But as much as she wanted to muster up any form of courage, fear was starting to overcome her. Any bits and pieces of something that would relate to sanity were far from being completed like a puzzle. Naraku had terrified her that much. At this point, she would give anything to cry out for InuYasha.

Before she knew it, a cold finger traced her cheek in an intimate pattern. "Come with me," He whispered, as his warm breath hit her ear.

Kagome disliked his slimy finger on her skin. She disliked feeling his disgusting breath hit her skin. She hated the sight of him..

Sango, to Kagome's protest, ran full speed toward Naraku - trying her hardest to free Kagome from Naraku's grasp. "Stay away from her!" She cried out, angrilly, as she attacked Naraku.

He simply dodged the attack and in response, he hit her straight in her abdominal region - causing her to pass out.

Kagome widened her eyes, in fear, of seeing her friend in pain.. "Sango!" Kagome screamed, but it was of no use..

She tried to reach for her, but Naraku had prevented her from coming any closer to her.

"What.. do.. you..?" Kagome breathed out, trying to calm herself down from the rage that was boiling deep within her. She was never one to be violent, but at the sight of any friends and family hurt in any way (God forbid if they were killed).. she'd turn out to be even worse than what you'd expect.

Naraku wrapped his arms around her. "I want you, my dear. But don't worry about your little friends.. you will be reunited in due time.."

For some reason, Kagome's eyesight had become blurry.. immensely so. Was she blacking out? Did she feel faint? Kagome asked herself, as her chocolate hues took in the monstrous bloodshot eyes staring down into hers...

_InuYasha.. help.. me!_

Then her whole world was crashing down...

**:3 :3 :3**

**Oh no! Sango and Kagome got kidnapped - what about Rin? What about Miroku and InuYasha? **

**You'll find out next chapter of course! ^_^**


	37. Heart Break Cover-Up

**Ugh.. I am so sorry for not putting this chapter up any sooner; I had TONS of viruses on this computer. They're all gone now, so it's good. ^_^**

**Happy New Year!**

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I think you're going to have to... Matt Damon is SUPER hot.. (sighs dreamilly) I am not ******* anyone: Inu's gonna go crazy... :)

**Lady Angel Sanada Sekhmet Date**: I think I've found it on Deviantart.. it belongs to Cati (I believe so..) Thanks so much for reviewing!

**innocentanimefan**: Yeah, he's going to become full-fledged demon... Naraku is the one to blame, after all!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: I'm glad I made you laugh, because that was my intention! Well, Naraku will get his butt kicked for that later.. Stop screwing around Naraku! XD

**Warm-Amber92**: Naraku **will **meet his end; I personally guarantee that.. :) But a tank? That sounds painful. LOL.

**TheRealInuyasha**: Unfortunately, they did not. (sighs) Thanks for reviewing!

**Seeker Heart**: Just pray that they don't get hurt okay? :P

**fearless-forever98**: I actually incorporated the jewel into the story, and this was like in the rough draft, but then I decided to get rid of it. But yes, Naraku's attraction to Kagome is interesting.. I think you are the first reviewer who said that. LOL. I think you should be adding SESSHOMARU to the list... Thanks for reviewing!

**MindMojo**: Will he? I'm not too sure about that. Once a pervert, always a pervert. LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**koshii**: OMG! Thanks so much! I appreciate your reviews with joy! ^_^

**SwagPrincess**: I guess I should thank you for reviewing... :)

**Guest**: I bet you will widen your eyes in surprise, my friend.. :)

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! :)**

**Chapter 36**

All InuYasha felt was gruesome pain enter his head, invading every part of his mind.. What.. the hell.. was going on? Where was he?... Where was Miroku?

He knew he was surrounded in a cloud of dark violet mist.. It was a demonic aura.. but whose was it? It felt familiar, as did the wretched stench that InuYasha couldn't help but smell; it was disgusting and almost taken over his senses. Or they were at least screwed around with, seeing that his vision was blurry. It made him wonder how this aura had come in...

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," an amused chuckle rang through InuYasha's mind, as loud as it could possibly be... InuYasha snarled, trying to clear his mind, but to no avail, he did not succeed. Damn it... He hated being vulnerable.

His heartbeat felt like it quit on him - he couldn't hear it pound against his chest.. It came back to him - realizing he couldn't feel anything but excruciating despair...

"You look like you are having a hard time," that same voice stated, with a pleasant tone. It was like he was enjoying it: seeing InuYasha tormented in the most physical way possible...

"Who.. are you?" InuYasha growled.

All of a sudden, he felt his head being pounded hard against the floor, thus, his headache increased twenty times - much to InuYasha's displeasure and the mysterious man's delight. But there was no way in hell that InuYasha would cry out in pain.. He would not give into this bastard - whoever he was.

"You impudent half-breed. You dare ask who I am?" When InuYasha was hunched over the floor, holding the pain with everything he had.. it was at that moment when the unknown person started to kick him with such rage that it caused InuYasha to fall on his stomach.

"You're just like your foolish father," He sneered in disgust, before he kicked him once more.

"What the hell.. do you know. about.. my father?" InuYasha replied - sounding more annoyed than he was before. He tried to tense himself before the next kick came, but there was none.

"I know that he was a fool for falling in love with a human. I know that he died for a frivolous cause."

"You.. bastard," InuYasha snarled, as he struggled to get back on his hands and knees... It was like something was pushing him to stay on the ground and it hurt like hell...

"Am I the bastard? Was I born out of lust and greed?"

"I don't.. give a damn about.. you," InuYasha replied, breathing in and out as calmly as he could..

The man then leaned into his triangular appendage, whispering into it, "Then what do you give a damn about?"

_InuYasha! _A vivid picture of Kagome entered his mind.. as well as her angelic voice crying out in desperation. InuYasha widened his eyes; Kagome could be in danger.. She needed his help and he wasn't there to save her. Damn it..

"You give a damn about her, don't you? Well, it's too late to save her, you mutt," The demon smirked victoriously, noting the terrified expression in the half-breed's eyes..

_No.. It's not too late.._ InuYasha thought, as he closed his eyes.. once again seeing the beautiful woman that he loved.. _Hold on, Kagome, I'm coming..._

He was not going to lose her.. In his mind, he tried reaching out for her, but she was just out of his reach.. In his mind, he tried calling out to her, but she would not listen.. Was it all an illusion then? It was - but that would not stop InuYasha from saving Kagome.. He couldn't bear to lose her like the way he lost the first woman he loved...

"Go to hell," InuYasha whispered, huskilly.

"The woman that you love.. she's quite a looker. Once Naraku is done with her, I wonder.. how good in bed she really is."

InuYasha saw nothing but crimson; he felt nothing but extreme hatred toward this demon - who was patronizing him...

The thought of Naraku hurting her was enough to go bezerk with rage and despair.. The thought of this demon hurting her.. it was enough for InuYasha to give a reason to kill him AND Naraku.

Nobody touched his woman... unless they were willing to sign their own death warrant.

"Fuck you, you son of a bitch," InuYasha said.. before mustering up all his strength, his will and his courage.. to stab the demon through the chest.. InuYasha was sure to make it dreadful and painful for him.

The demon cried out in pain, as he was the one that fell to the ground, bleeding to death. The crimson liquid poured out of his chest quickly and there was no hope for him to make it out alive. He glanced up into InuYasha's eyes, which were a slightly lighter shade than his own blood.. Disturbing shivers ran down his spine as he suddenly realized that he had transformed. He had transformed into a heartless monster who yearned for blood.

"Where.. is she?" InuYasha's demonic form asked, but it was more of a demand... If the demon did not reply to his question, he would die.. Either way, his life was coming to an end.

"Naraku.. took.. all.. of.. them," The demon said, his eyes never once straying from InuYasha's.

"**Where?**" InuYasha's voice deepened, filled with hatred and such coldness that it caused the demon to look away: who was frightened to bits by the sight of him.

But he was not that scared.. The demon spat in his face. "You will never know." This did not impress InuYasha in the slightest, but he did not change his emotions: they remained stoic.

"**Rot in hell**," InuYasha spat out venemously, before stabbing through the demon's chest - immediately killing him.

InuYasha frowned, as the aura - as well as his headache - was completely eradicated. His bloodshot eyes returned to their normal shade of gold but his cheeks were still tainted with magenta stripes. All that his senses could detect now was a corpse - which stank until high heaven - and silence.

He glanced toward his hands, which were soaked in the demon's blood. InuYasha was disgusted; he was a monster. He could kill anyone with these claws.. and that even included Kagome.

He took a deep breath in. First, he had to get rid of this body; the second step entailed searching for Naraku's safehouse. And InuYasha would not stop to eat or sleep until he knew for certain that Kagome was safe in his arms.

**:3 :3 :3**

The first thing that Kagome noticed when she woke up from her death-like state, was that she was in the dark. She couldn't see a thing, much to her annoyance. Kagome also noticed that her head throbbed, as did the rest of her body, her throat was sore and she could not even move. Kagome was also certain that there was blood on her temple, since she felt a cool liquid on her skin. It was at that point when Kagome hated being weak...

Where was she? That was her first question. Kagome knew that she was lying down on something comfortable, like a bed. But she shouldn't feel safe at all; all she remembered was glimpsing into Naraku's bloodthirsty eyes...

The thought of being kidnapped by Naraku was enough to make her heart stop. Or at least, temporarily, as she immediately tensed. Naraku could be in the room.. watching her. It was a disturbing theory to say the least. But how would she know that he'd be in his personal lair with her?

Kagome slowly licked her dry lips. Now was not a time to get paranoid. But what time was it for? Praying that InuYasha will find her? If he couldn't find her.. No. If something happened to him, Kagome wouldn't know what she'd do.

She only prayed that InuYasha was still alive...

Tears slipped past Kagome's cheeks, but no sobs came out of her lips. She couldn't even find her voice, which was lost..

And what about her friends? What happened to Sango and Rin? Kagome could only feel worry and desperation; she was separated from them. What would.. Naraku do to them?

_Oh, God,_ Kagome thought, as her heart beat faster and faster. _You have to breathe, Kagome, it's going to be alright,_ she tried telling herself. Once again, she only had to rely on prayers to make sure that her friends were safe.. But was there a guarantee that they were?

If it were up to Kagome, she would have wanted to be the only one Naraku wanted. She would have volunteered to come with Naraku if it meant that everyone she knew and loved were safe.. Including her Mom.

_This will be a nightmare for her,_ Kagome thought sadly, as she realized that her mother had been away at her brother's, making funeral arrangements. She couldn't imagine how her mom would feel, knowing that her daughter was kidnapped once again.

Which was all the more motivation for Kagome to leave this wretched place.. If she could save her friends, she could save herself.

"Kagome, how was your sleep? I was worried that you would never wake up."

Kagome widened her eyes, as the booming voice of Naraku temporarily frightened her. It wasn't much of a consolation, but she'd have to be thankful that he wasn't doing anything to her friends. At least for the moment.

"There's no need to be frightened, my dear. You're safe."

Naraku stepped forward - toward her, as his eyes glowed brilliantly in the dark. Kagome was not feeling safe with him at all.. What was he going to do to her?

"You look just like her, you know." Naraku traced her cheek with a single finger; if it were up to Kagome, she would have spat in his face, but she had not the strength...

But Kagome was extremely confused. Who was he talking about? Who did she look like?

"Her name was Kikyo and she was my love until your InuYasha took her away from me," Naraku whispered irately, as he narrowed his red eyes.

Kagome would have furrowed her eyebrows in confusion if she could.. She was confused as to why InuYasha never mentioned a past lover.. The fact that he didn't trust her with such information.. that kind of hurt her. She knew she shouldn't push him to reveal stuff like that, but since she was allegedly a look-a-like, it truly made Kagome wonder if he really loved her at all.

Was he.. just using her to get over his first love? Kagome truly didn't know what to feel at that moment.. But she knew that she had to talk with InuYasha once this was over.. If he came for her...

**:3 :3 :3**

"Rin, are you alright?"

To be honest, Rin had better days. For one, she had a gruesome ache pounding itself on her brain, her throat was sore to high heavens, and she was sure she was bleeding - judging from the cool liquid plastered on her cheek.

Rin opened her cocoa eyes, as she groaned in pain. The first thing that she noticed was that she was in complete darkness. There was also no doubt that the room temperature was so cold, that she had become numb. Rin knew that the frosty air was the least of her problems to come..

Where were they?

"Sango?" Rin whispered, as her friend helped her up into a sitting position. Rin also noted that her back hurt like hell, as did her legs. It really made her wonder what happened to her when she was unconscious..."Are you okay?"

Sango nodded, her eyes glistening with hope. "Yes. I'm glad that you are too. You have been sleeping for a long time."

Rin gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm alright. Really. But where's Kagome?"

Both girls felt cold shivers cascade down their spines. No words were spoken between them, as they both realized how they came to be here in the first place. Naraku.

Rin bit her lip, as her eyes fell to the ground. "I hope Kagome's okay." Rin wouldn't know what to do if Kagome was hurt.. or even worse.

"I just pray that bastard didn't touch her," Sango seethed with anger, while she narrowed her eyes, and slammed her fist against the dungeon wall.

Just like in any other situation, Rin was the first to fill others with hope: she was the one to comfort those who needed it. "Don't worry, Sango. I'm positive that Sesshomaru will come for us." At least, that was what Rin hoped for.. "And so will InuYasha and Miroku."

"We won't give up now, will we?" Sango chuckled, already knowing what her friend's answer would be.

Rin shook her head, enthusiastic. "Nope."

Sango knew that she was lucky that she had Rin by her side.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I hope you guys sort of liked this chapter! XD **

**Please give a review - I'd love to know what you think! ^_^**


	38. Standard Practices

**Now unto the chapter where InuYasha, Miroku and Sesshomaru all meet up! Sounds very exciting, but really, I have to let you decide that for yourself. LOL.**

**Thanks go out to…**

**CityOfFallenAshes****: **That is the understatement of the year; you should see how he reacts when he goes to rescue Kagome… 0_0 And who am I to say that you HAVE to watch it now? LOL.

**Fearless-forever98****: **Rin is definitely loyal! ^_^ Sesshomaru will come for her, no doubt; he cares for her too much! He's going to make Naraku regret the day he had ever been born... :)

**TheRealInuyasha**: Kagome shouldn't even listen to what Naraku says – he's only trying to mess with her. But unfortunately, the part about Kikyo is true… InuYasha had been in love with another. Kagome, girl, get your priorities straight! XD

**Warm-Amber92**: If I was trapped in a room with Naraku, I would feel like getting a bullet to the chest. Naraku is that dislikable... He he… The rescue mission will come soon! I promise!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: If I were you, I'd get InuYasha or Sesshomaru to bathe you. Then again, I'd do that too. LOL.

**Innocentanimefan**: You will see them this chapter – I guarantee you that. ;)

**Seeker Heart**: You're going to have to read on to find out; I just hate giving spoilers, you know. LOL.

**Flamehazer**: Thank you! To be honest, I really need the practice of writing those types of scenes. LOL.

**Kelli**: Ha ha – you saw the Yu-Gi-Oh! abridged video of Yugi's back, haven't you? XD Thanks for your sweet words, you beautiful, amazing creature! :)

**Menarie**: He's not an important character, believe me. Just someone I can play with at his expense. XD It would have been worse irritating Sesshomaru! Thanks for reviewing!

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! Thanks! :D**

**Chapter 37**

There was blood on his hands. The blood of a demon, which attacked him in such fury and hatred, who had told him that his lover… no… his mate was taken, of which he did not regret killing because he was a monster; a monster that didn't know the difference between right and wrong. A monster… that just loved the art of killing. It was absolutely sick.

What would Kagome think of him now? What would she say to him – seeing that he had taken a life? No. This wasn't any different from what that black-haired wretch tried to do to Kagome. InuYasha had saved Kagome from his greasy hands, even if he did kill that bastard in the process. Hell, he had transformed into his darker side to do so. Would Kagome expect anything more from him than his promises to protect her?

She deserved every bit of his affections that he could give her. She was the ideal angel; she was merciful, she was selfless, she was kind and honourable. She also deserved a better life; one without bloodthirsty demons chasing after her, one without any loved ones in any danger… InuYasha contemplated, once or twice, to leave her. He thought about leaving so he could protect Kagome. But he hated the idea of her mourning him. He hated the idea of feeling the endless guilt consuming him. He hated the idea of demons still coming to her doorstep – to kill her. Losing her was the worst thing that could ever happen to him…

"InuYasha?" Miroku's voice penetrated his thoughts…

InuYasha did not acknowledge his presence; his golden eyes stared blankly at the crimson fire… burning the body of the one who triggered his transformation…

"_I know that he was a fool for falling in love with a human. I know that he died for a frivolous cause."_ InuYasha could still hear his wretched voice repeating in his mind. InuYasha was never particularly proud of his heritage, but his mother meant more to him than what one would assume. She was the one who had taught him to love, but he never quite grasped that until he had met his first love…

"_You give a damn about her, don't you? Well, it's too late to save her, you mutt." _InuYasha remembered seeing his pretentious smirk… and the words that followed.

"_The woman that you love… she's quite a looker. Once Naraku's done with her, I wonder how good in bed she really is."_ InuYasha growled as though he were still his feral self, as he crumpled his hands into fists.

"InuYasha? Are you alright?" Miroku asked, once again, noting how weary his friend appeared to be.

"Are you?" InuYasha finally answered, but did not turn around from the burning flames.

Miroku narrowed his eyes. "I will be. But our priority should be on the girls. Where could they have gone?"

"Naraku took them." Just thinking about that arrogant bastard made InuYasha's blood boil in silent rage. Just thinking about what he could be doing to Kagome would be enough to cause InuYasha's rage to expand – possibly to the point of transforming into his demonic nature.

"InuYasha, I know you want to search for her."

It was then InuYasha turned around, doing so abruptly, with a malicious expression planted on his face. "But what, Miroku?! This bastard can kill them and if we don't act soon, they will be dead!"

Miroku did not act so much shocked to see the half-demon act so frustrated, for lack of a better term. "But we do not know where he is, InuYasha. We need to find a way to find his lair."

InuYasha knew that he would not be at the laboratory; it was as though Naraku was expecting him to search there. Not to mention that would have been an obvious place to go…

"I don't give a damn about that."

"What do you have to rely on, InuYasha? Your senses? This is a large city, InuYasha – scents can mingle with one another. How can you expect to find Naraku, who has the ability to hide his scent?"

InuYasha didn't want to admit anything, but deep down, he knew he was wrong. Miroku was the one that was right in this case. How could he hope to find Kagome's scent or Naraku's, if he could shield them? What if there were false leads?

Before InuYasha could reply, a familiar scent entered his nose. He contracted his honey hues, while growling in discontent, as he immediately recognized the demon that came…

"InuYasha? What is it?" Miroku noticed the extremely hostile look written in InuYasha's eyes, as well as his body position.

"We have company," was all InuYasha said, before he cracked his knuckles.

"Where are your manners, InuYasha?" A pair of crysal eyes glowed in the dark, filled with discontent. "After all, it has been quite some time since we've last seen each other. Little brother."

"Sesshomaru," InuYasha snapped, his voice filled with abomination and distrust. "What the hell do you want?"

Miroku looked on, as a tall man with the same golden eyes, the same magenta markings on the cheekbones, walked forward into the light. His long, ivory hair floated down his back with ease with every step he took. Chills ran down Miroku's spine as he noticed the frosty expression on his face.

"Naraku dead. Is that not your goal as well, little brother?" Sesshomaru pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow in curiosity, yet the cold and calculating expression never left.

"Why do you care if he's dead or not?" InuYasha retaliated with anger flashing in his yellow eyes. "It is none of your business!"

Sesshomaru took one step closer, and even Miroku knew that InuYasha had pushed him to the limit… Sesshomaru's eyes darkened with anathema.

"It is my business; he took something from me and I want it back."

It had come to Miroku's attention, only now it seemed, when he remembered something… It was around the time before he passed out – due to the demon that attacked InuYasha. He could hear Rin's screams of pain and despair wail throughout the house… He had heard her scream out only one name: Sesshomaru. Which meant that Rin was somehow involved with him…

"Naraku did take Rin. As well as Sango and Kagome. But we do not know where," Miroku, for the first time, spoke out loud – momentarily putting a stop to the brotherly feud that was about to occur between InuYasha and Sesshomaru.

"So you've fallen for a human girl; I've fallen for a human girl. How do you feel about that?" InuYasha smirked, amusedly, as Sesshomaru's lips twitched to form a frown. His eyes, however, were still filled with coldness. Sesshomaru, after all of these years, still could keep up quite the unaffected appearance. InuYasha always wanted to see him wig out, at least once, about something. Then again, he was the one that started it.

"This Sesshomaru feels as though you are a pathetic half-breed begging for death," Sesshomaru snarled, enveloping InuYasha's neck in a choke hold – cutting off InuYasha's supply for air.

"If you want to settle your scores, I suggest you do so later. We have three girls to find," Miroku warned. It was one of those warnings that suggested backing off before something happened.

Sesshomaru was more than capable of finding Naraku than relying on the help of one half-breed and his mortal friend… However, he knew that he did not want to kill InuYasha as of yet. After realizing that his beloved had been taken by Naraku, nothing was more important than finding her.

"It seems as though your death has been postponed. Next time, you will not be so lucky, InuYasha."

Then he let him go. InuYasha coughed several times before he replied with a smirk, "If you kill me, what would Rin think of you?"

"This Sesshomaru does not care what others think of him," Sesshomaru – much to InuYasha's disappointment – did not seem to be affected by InuYasha's attempts to rope Rin into making his brother have a guilty conscience. But then, he had to stop and think that Sesshomaru never felt guilt.

"That is enough. Are we going to find Naraku? Or are we going to fight like petulant children?" Miroku, literally, had to stand between Sesshomaru and InuYasha to stop the bickering. "Now where can we find him?"

"Wait a minute, Miroku. I am not working with this narcissistic bastard!" InuYasha yelped, turning his rage upon his friend.

Miroku, unfazed like the mature man he was raised to be, replied, "But we have to, InuYasha. He may have a clue as to where he is."

"This Sesshomaru knows where Naraku is. He is mine to deal with."

All in all, InuYasha somewhat hoped he wouldn't have to use his claws on anyone… He only wanted Kagome to return to him safely…

"Fine. He's yours."

As long as Naraku gets killed some way or another, InuYasha could really not give a damn about who did it…

**:3 :3 :3**

What was true? What was false?

Kagome felt as though she couldn't come to grips with reality anymore… It was all Naraku's fault; she never knew how she could despise a person so much, but after realizing that he was pure evil, it was understandable right?

It was funny that you thought you knew a person, when in reality, you never did.

Kagome didn't know whether to feel betrayed that InuYasha was still in love with his former lover… Granted she had no actual proof, other than that he said he once loved someone… and lost them forever… She felt like she was a replacement. She couldn't help but feel that way.

_All of those things you said to me. Did you really mean them?_ Kagome wondered, as she lay chained to the mattress of which she had been resting on – for who knew how long…

"Kagome…"

Hearing the sound of a familiar, husky voice that she adored… Kagome glanced up to see the form of InuYasha staring in her eyes… with animosity and hatred. Not love and affection that she was used to.

"InuYasha?" Kagome asked, her voice sounding hoarse and dry.

"I've never loved you, Kagome." His voice was harsh, just like what she had seen in his eyes…

"What?" Kagome's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, trying to make sense of what was going on… What was going on? Was any of this real? Or was this just an illusion?

"You were foolish to release me, Kagome. I'm half-demon," InuYasha smirked, appearing to be quite pleased with himself for being cunning.

"I know you are half-demon and I love you, InuYasha!" Kagome cried out, as a plethora of emotions ran through her… confusion…desperation….loneliness. "I love you, even if you think I'm only second compared to her!" Those words truly hit her hard. But she knew they were true. Kagome knew that she could never stop loving InuYasha. As much as she hated to admit it, but it was true.

"You are nothing like her."

Then... he left. It was when Kagome finally took in those harsh words, when she finally broke down to cry…

Even if it was an illusion, she couldn't help but feel desperate. She couldn't help but feel alone.

Why had this been happening to her?

"Now you see the truth, Kagome?"

Kagome stopped crying once she heard the malicious voice of the man she vowed to hate… Naraku.

"What are you doing to me?!" Kagome cried out, clutching her head – which started to ache the moment she heard the villain make his presence known. Her tears soaked her cheeks, her knees were shaking and she felt nothing but cold bite her skin…

Naraku laughed. "I am only making you see the truth, my dear. The more you know, the less painful for you when he tells you that he loved your incarnation."

"What?"

"You are the reincarnation of Kikyo; the priestess rumoured to have once guarded the once coveted Shikon Jewel. I suspect you already know that story, so let's cut to the chase. InuYasha fell in love with you BECAUSE you looked like her."

Kagome didn't want to give him any satisfaction. She just wanted to deny everything that he was just telling her… He just created an illusion…

"And why do you want me?" He never once answered her question… Kagome just needed an answer… "You want me because I look like her. InuYasha loves me for who I am." She sounded confident with her answer, but was she truly convinced?

**:3 :3 :3**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this update! ^_^ **

**Please review? :)**


	39. Mind Control Is A Bitch

**We are nearing the end people! Just telling you now before the end actually comes and you were expecting more and I was just saying that "the end!" :( **

**This chapter is mostly about Rin and Sango planning to escape, but not before they meet up with Kagome. How do they do it? Just read on! :P**

**Innocentanimefan**: I just wish she could believe… If Naraku was the one trying to vex you, I bet your mind will still believe. Actually, so will mine. LOL!

**CityOfFallenAshes**: That's like the part you're waiting for the most, isn't it? When InuYasha rescues Kagome from the greedy clutches of Naraku? So am I actually… XD

**Warm-Amber92**: I'm afraid Naraku has broken her… But InuYasha will bring her back to her normal self! She loves him and nothing can break away the bond that is called love! XD

**Flamehazer**: I'm pretty sure Naraku is as evil as the devil. No, wait, he's worse… 0_0 InuYasha does have some explaining to do about Kikyo, don't he? For the time being, Kagome just has to believe in InuYasha… Thanks for reviewing!

**Menarie**: Naraku can lie all he wants and he STILL won't convince Kagome… True love prevails! Haha, you are totally right about Miroku and the boys. They certainly don't care for each other, so what would be the right term for them? LOL.

**TheRealInuyasha**: I can tell you sound disgusted. LOL. Thanks for reviewing, ja!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: Unfortunately, I think his heart belongs to Rin. :) Thanks for reviewing! :)

**Seeker Heart**: So, you're not going to root for Sesshomaru? No, just joking. I know I am! ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! ^_^ **

**Chapter 38**

"Is that what you believe, my dear? I do not believe so, because you lack conviction," Naraku whispered, as he sat down on the bed, looking deep into her dark, brown eyes that shed tears of despair and loneliness.

Kagome pursed her lips, while secretly telling herself to be strong… InuYasha was coming for her, wasn't he?

No. She knew that he was coming for her… She knew that he loved her… She could always tell from the look in his gorgeous honey hues that sparkled – possibly even more so than diamonds.

He saved her life before; Kagome knew, from what her heart told her, that InuYasha would not hesitate to come after her.

"Is that you want to believe, Naraku?" Kagome spat out with bitterness, as confidence started to shine through her dark cinnamon eyes. She was not going to let Naraku decide who she had feelings for. She was not going to let Naraku hurt her or anyone else that she loved. "Because I know that he will come for me. Until then, why don't you put me in the same room as my friends?"

It was amazing how confident that Kagome felt when she, or anyone else that she loved, was in danger. Especially since she was trying to talk her way into getting what she wanted when the bad guy himself was Naraku.

"If that is what you want," Naraku frowned, but not even one moment later, it turned back into an arrogant smirk; what could he possibly know that Kagome didn't? What if… What if he was planning something? Planning something for her, her friends… maybe even InuYasha…

"I know what I want," Kagome replied, trying not to appear intimidated or affected otherwise, by Naraku's facial expressions.

"Do you? Do you want a man whose heart belongs to another? Or do you want a man that can fully appreciate you?"

"I don't care what you think. I love InuYasha," She added, pronouncing each word slowly; Kagome just prayed that he would just give up. She wasn't going to succumb to his little illusions anymore. "And you can go to hell if you don't believe me."

Naraku merely chuckled, as though he hadn't heard anything that this lovely young woman said to him. "That's what I like about you, Kagome. You are so much more than just a pretty face."

Kagome had nothing to say in response to that… She was just absolutely furious; Naraku had no respect for anyone and he always seemed to prove himself the alpha male. But he was not controlling over her. She just had the urge to punch him in the face… Or even better…

She slapped it. She slapped his cheekbone with as much force, and brutality, she could muster into it.

Kagome widened her eyes, as she witnessed Naraku's crimson hues narrow in disgust, anger and bitterness…

"Don't even think about trying that again," Naraku whispered venomously, as he grabbed her wrist and tightened his hold on it. All without looking away from her…

Kagome's breathing stopped, as his scrutinizing gaze penetrated through her defenses – the only barrier that she had created to protect herself. For one moment, she had allowed Naraku to frighten her… The evil in his eyes had threatened her; if she made one more move against him, who knew what he'd do to her. Or maybe her friends and InuYasha.

"Now if you want to see your friends, I suggest you behave."

_What am I, a dog now?_ Kagome thought bitterly, but she dared not protest against Naraku. No wonder he was considered to be off-limits in the world of justice.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Out of all the things that could possibly happen, I didn't imagine this," Sango sighed, leaning against the chilly (and possibly grimy) dungeon wall. She had gotten used to the cold, but honestly, she couldn't feel much of anything anymore. It was like someone had paralyzed her and she was only good for speaking. It didn't take much to realize that Naraku was the one that kidnapped them.

What did he expect to gain from this? The fact that he had Kohaku in his grasp? Was he going to torture her with this information? Or was he going to kill her? It was hard to say what Naraku had in mind… No one could read his thoughts; he was an enigma, to say the least.

"Me neither. We were just supposed to have a girls' night in. Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned sleepovers?" Rin replied, as she stared blankly in her friend's eyes. It was dark, but not dark enough to completely be invisible. She could see how Sango looked; she could see how weakened she had become ever since Rin herself had been put in here.

In fact, Rin was pretty sure there was never a time when she felt as bad as she did now; not only was she dirty to high heaven, she was also certain the injuries she had inherited from her attacker were not even healing. But she could care less about the scratches. It was the bruises on her abdomen that had started to make her worry. Other than that, Rin felt tired, hungry and thirsty. Though she couldn't say she was scared; she knew that Sesshomaru was going to come for her. She had never forgotten what he promised her… She took it as a vow; it was like a proposal, but there were no wedding dresses, rings or the words stating I do. But it was close enough.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Sango asked.

Screwing around with her friends was one thing Sango couldn't tolerate (apart from her brother being kidnapped and brainwashed by Naraku) from Naraku. The first thing Sango had in mind once she escaped this little prison was to go punch him in the face. Or she could even try hitting the ego – which was what considered being most men's weakness.

Then again, Kagome had been taken too… from what she had remembered. Sango knew for a fact that Kagome's boyfriend was extremely protective of her; and she figured that if anyone was craving revenge… it would be InuYasha.

And she knew that Miroku would be extremely worried, but he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the rescue mission. Sango knew she'd count on the both of them to come for them.

"All I know is that I've been attacked and I got all of these scars." Rin winced as a painful throb started in her abdomen. She knew she must have been hit pretty hard to still receive this pain. "But… I am fine. Don't worry about me."

Sango couldn't help but worry over Rin; she was in bad shape, as far as she was concerned. She wanted to get her out safely… Then an idea popped in her head. She couldn't always rely on the men to save her; sometimes, a girl had to be her own hero.

"Listen, I've got a plan," Sango whispered.

Rin could tell that Sango was up to something… She could always tell there was scheming behind her mystic brown eyes and this time was no different.

"We can get out of here, but we need Kagome here too."

"Is it possible?" Rin wanted this plan to happen… She just couldn't lay useless in this crummy old dungeon anymore. The possibility of escaping was motivation enough for her to get the strength she needed. Her heart beat against her chest gleefully; this was hope she was feeling.

"Well we can't just sit here like sitting ducks, right?" Sango gave her friend a confident smirk. As a result, Rin smiled, then nodding in agreement.

"Then it's settled. We wait until she comes."

But, as it turned out, they didn't have to wait much longer.

Both Rin and Sango heard a groan; they turned their heads to the side, seeing the bane of their existence with the girl that they called their best friend.

"Kagome!" Rin whispered, biting her lip, worried; Kagome looked… horrible. That was putting it mildly. Kagome's skin was gruesomely pale and it looked as though she had dark circles under her eyes. She was pushed into the cell and into the awaiting arms of Sango. Kagome was, at this point, unconscious.

The fact that Naraku could have hurt her… No. He did hurt her. Rin saw the fear in her eyes, before she fell into Sango's protective embrace. She saw the pain that was inflicted by none other than Naraku.

"What did you do to her?" Rin cried out, clinging to the prison bars; normally she wasn't one for anger, but it was at times like these when one just had to make an exception.

"I did nothing to her; she did this to herself," Naraku grinned wickedly. "I hoped it wouldn't have come to this… but unfortunately, the poor thing was just too stubborn."

"She would never fall in love with the likes of you!" Sango screamed, as her mahogany eyes filled with militancy. "No one in their right mind would!"

"Once her boyfriend gets here," Naraku sneered, "he will never be in my way again."

"You bastard! What are you planning to do?"

"It's simple. Miroku will come after you Sango, which is if he chooses between his family and you. Sesshomaru will chase after you, Rin, because he thinks of you as Rinna. What is it with reincarnations these days? " Naraku shrugged his shoulders, as though he truly didn't care.

Rin was confused, her eyebrows furrowing, as she pondered over Naraku's words. What did he mean by that? Who was Rinna? Rin shook her head; this was not important right now. All she knew was that she was bait for Sesshomaru… which meant that Naraku had something against her boyfriend too.

"I know what he would choose," Sango muttered. "I know that he'd never miss the opportunity to avenge his family!"

"At what cost?" Naraku raised an eyebrow, as Sango's face started to pale in contrast to his own.

"He would save our lives in exchange for his own!" Sango gently laid Kagome unto Rin's lap. "I would know that because I know him!"

"Believe what you want. In the end, it won't matter."

Sango, Rin – and most likely Kagome – would just love to prove him wrong about that.

**:3 :3 :3**

It was very convenient how Naraku's methods of keeping people quiet about his locations didn't really work to his advantage.

It took nearly three hours to get the results InuYasha, Sesshomaru and Miroku wanted; where Naraku's secret fortress of doom was located. It only took an extremely ticked off expression from Sesshomaru, a threat from InuYasha and a proposition from Miroku to get an answer quickly. Considering that the informant valued his life…

InuYasha was getting most impatient throughout the entire process; he, most likely, had been thinking about what Naraku had done with Kagome and how he could save her.

Miroku was just as upset about Sango getting kidnapped, although he was quite good about keeping his head up and in the game rather than focus on just the direness of the situation.

Sesshomaru, however, was a little more difficult to figure out. One would think he was also concerned about Rin's safety, but another would scoff and say Naraku was his main priority. Both people would be right about that.

"So this is where the bastard lives," InuYasha frowned, narrowing his golden eyes in disgust.

Considering that Naraku was a crime lord who practically ran the city, you'd think he'd choose a wealthy estate to reside. But this was not what anyone (apart from Sesshomaru, who had a sneaking suspicion) expected to find.

Yes, it was crummy, run-down and 'abandoned', there was no doubt that it was guarded. Even if Naraku had protection against the law, it wouldn't hurt for him to threaten people to protect him.

"Yes. If we're mistaken," Miroku replied. Sesshomaru, however, had nothing to say about the landscape.

"Let's go."

And so they entered the premises… All with their guards up, as well as their hopes.

If they knew that what was to come, would they have come?

They couldn't afford to be selfish now… not with the people they loved in critical danger.

**:3 :3 :3**

**The next chapter is the big rescue mission! :)**

**Please review – I'd love to know what you think! XD**


	40. Mission Impossible VII: Krone

**This is quite a chapter! XD **

**But I do hope that you enjoy it! :)**

**But forgive me if it sucks. LOL**

**Guest**: He'll do more than just flip out… :) He's going to kick the bloody crap out of Naraku. XD

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Then I sincerely hope that you enjoy this chapter! ^_^

**Seeker Heart**: Hey, they are trying super hard to rescue them, okay? XD The girls are their motivation! And that 'pig' has more up his sleeve, you know. XD

**TheRealInuyasha**: What is Record of Agarest War? XD Thanks for reviewing, ja!

**Menarie**: You can always count on Sango scheming an escape plan. :) Haha, nice choice of descriptive language; Naraku is a prick! XD Sesshomaru will tear him to pieces! Or will he… you'll find out! ^_^

**Fearless-forever98**: Do I have you biting your fingernails yet? LOL.

**Warm-Amber92**: HELL NO! Kagome is not brainwashed… However, someone else will be! :P

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! Thanks!**

**Chapter 39**

When Kagome Higurashi woke up again, she figured she was dragged to Naraku's dungeon. Not only was she in extreme need of food and water, she was also feeling a plethora of mixed emotions. Anger, check. Sadness, check. Lonely, check.

Okay, so she was deadly terrified. What was Naraku planning? Was he going to kill InuYasha? Kagome would have cried at the thought, but she felt too tired to express any sort of emotion.

Her brown eyes adjusted to the darkness much quicker than what she had expected.

"Kagome, are you okay?"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows… was that Rin?

"It's going to be okay, Kags. I promise." And Kagome was also uncertain if that was Sango.

Then again, Kagome shouldn't complain if Naraku actually complied with her demand.

But what if she was delusional? What if this was just another trick to make her see things?

"And yes, Kagome, it is us."

And of course that answered her questions. But that didn't put any stop to her worries… The ones that were concerning InuYasha…

Another thing Kagome noticed was the fact that her head was hurting like hell. It throbbed – excruciatingly – causing her to stop any thoughts from ringing in her mind. "What happened?" Kagome muttered, as Rin helped her to sit up. Kagome gave her friend a grateful smile, before switching her gaze over to Sango's. She noticed how there were scratches and bruises on both of her friends' skin, and that caused Kagome to tense in discomfort. It truly made her wonder whether if Naraku was going to stop… But since it was quite apparent that he had an unhealthy obsession with her, Kagome knew it wouldn't be possible.

Unless he was out of her life forever.

"Naraku brought you here. Don't you remember?" Rin prodded her friend, who switched gazes back and forth from Sango and Rin.

Kagome licked her lips, before replying, "I don't… I can't remember," Kagome knew she was speaking the truth. It was like her mind had been tampered with… But it wouldn't be surprising to think that Naraku was most likely behind it.

"The most important thing we should be focusing on is getting out of this hellhole," Sango seethed, her tone filled with anger and discontent with the situation at hand.

"What happened?" Kagome wanted to make sure her best friends were all right before proceeding with their escape plan. She knew that Sango wouldn't be the type to lay back, sit still and wait for the boys to rescue her. She was the toughest person that Kagome had ever met in her life. She was just one of those people you had to admire for her courage, strength and determination.

"We've been stuck in this place for far too long, Kagome. We've got to go." What was there to explain? Even though Kagome was a saint for caring, Sango didn't want her to worry. The only thing everyone in this crummy room should worry about was earning back their freedom.

"But how do we do it?" Kagome said; the possibility of depending on one-self to get out of this hell was motivation. Since all three girls decided that, each and every one of them hoped that their plan would succeed.

"It's quite simple. These bars aren't even made of real metal."

Rin widened her eyes in shock. "What?"

Sango smirked. "They're actually made from a demon's bone; but the point is, it will be a cinch for me to pry them apart."

Yep. You could always count on Sango to analyze everything around her. Did Kagome mention the fact that she was just plain awesome?

"But guys, what about guards?" Kagome pointed out, not really intending to rain on anyone's parade. Kagome knew that you had to know everything before you attempt to do something. Especially like breaking out of prison.

Security could be an issue.

But it wasn't. Not since Naraku practically threatened them with their lives to protect him.

"That is not going to be a problem either. We just have to find someone desperate enough to help us," Sango replied, sounding confident that this plan was going to be a success. No problems whatsoever. No collateral damage would be even better. The last thing that anyone needed was to screw this plan up, with the result of innocent bystanders in the mix.

"There aren't any guards around though."

"There will be."

How long had Sango been planning this escapade?

**:3 :3 :3**

Naraku loved playing dirty; but what he loved more was Kagome… She was feisty; she was filled with light – that was what made her so appealing to him. Apart from her uncanny resemblance to Kikyo, what else was there to adore about her?

Unfortunately for him, there was a complication. She was in love with the half-breed bastard.

Naraku did not tolerate being second choice; he was far more cunning, good-looking and more superior than that mutt could ever be. Naraku did not know what Kagome, as well as Kikyo, ever saw in InuYasha.

He would definitely take care of that parasite… Then he would be able to concentrate on winning Kagome for himself.

"So he is here," Naraku chuckled maliciously, as he could detect the scent of testosterone and dirty dog. Not only had InuYasha arrived, he brought along some groupies. His older brother, perhaps? And who could forget the victim of a mafia deal gone wrong?

In all honesty, Naraku knew that this was going to be fun… and he knew that things would turn out to be much differently: he would end up with the girl.

**:3 :3 :3**

"It fucking smells in here," InuYasha grumbled under his breath, as he used his robe of the fire rat sleeve to cover half of his face.

Sesshomaru and Miroku couldn't help but agree, although Sesshomaru was more silent about it.

So the trio of rescuers had entered the villain's lair, and now – it seemed – they were at the end of the road. Until they could figure out how to get out of this mess.

They entered in from the south, which turned out to be a huge mistake. They had been ambushed; what was worse was the fact that they were humans.

Considering InuYasha did not feel like dealing with collateral damage, he merely knocked them out. As did Miroku. Sesshomaru, however, did nothing of the sort. Because InuYasha's older brother was a lazy-ass son of a bitch who despised humans, he just HAD to let Miroku and InuYasha take care of the matter.

The whole battlefield reeked of human sweat so far, and not that much blood – surprisingly. Sesshomaru, of course, was being stoic and serious – not one trace of disgust could be seen in his eyes. Of course he must have had his share of blood baths in his day. He used to be an aristocratic assassin, after all.

Then there was the fact that Naraku's miasma worsened each time they seemed to pass a level. Like a video game, in Miroku's opinion. But unlike in video games, they all only had one life. It wasn't like they could get a second chance.

"Let's move," Miroku stated, then began moving in synch with the rest of the group.

Miroku had to say that this was an unlikely team; he didn't know what happened between InuYasha and Sesshomaru, but he knew that it must have been horrible for the two of them to be distant and cold toward one another. As much as Miroku loved seeing families reunite, he – as well as Sesshomaru and InuYasha – had to concentrate.

"And you're sure this is the right path Miroku?" InuYasha asked bitterly.

He was lucky he even trusted the kid. From what he had been told, Miroku was just the perfect expert on choosing which way to go. And this was the first time they had been in this place.

Needless to say, demons had been waiting for them at every turn they take. It was stupid and pointless.

No doubt it was a ploy of Naraku's to slow them down.

InuYasha briefly wondered how annoyed Sesshomaru must have felt; after all, Rin was in there somewhere with Kagome and Sango. You would think that a guy in love must show some emotion.

"I am sure this time. The miasma is getting stronger, is it not?" Miroku replied calmly; it took a lot to deal with InuYasha's attitude.

"It's fucking disgusting," InuYasha growled.

"Quiet half-breed," Sesshomaru, for the first time since he had collaborated with Miroku and his younger brother, spoke out loud.

"So the anti-socialist finally speaks," InuYasha grunted, crossing his arms.

"What did I say, InuYasha? We must focus on finding Naraku." Miroku was fortunate to have the energy to put up with this crap.

Honestly, Miroku had hoped that the worst he could ever deal with was InuYasha's relationship problems with his family. But then again, he would rather face Naraku sooner than later.

"I can smell him," InuYasha stated, narrowing his golden eyes… He clenched his hands into fists.

Then… a malicious laughter rang out throughout the room: never-ending…

"You have a very good sense of smell, InuYasha," Naraku appeared from the shadows; his eyes darker than blood glowed in the charcoal abyss…

"Naraku!" InuYasha screamed; his blood was pumping and his temper was starting to increase exponentially… He had the urge to rip the bastard's head off with his claws. Truth was, he didn't know if he wouldn't do it…

"So you have all arrived to save your loved ones?" Naraku grinned wickedly, practically staring in InuYasha's eyes.

"Not only that, you're going straight to hell," InuYasha replied, his own smirk forming on his lips.

Sesshomaru was hell-bent on destroying Naraku himself. But not before he learned the whereabouts of Rin… The girl that had captured his heart… The girl that he had loved since he had met her, but was too stupid to see it.

"Where are they, Naraku?" Miroku spat out venomously, much to Naraku's surprise. He had expected the poor kid to be angry, but he didn't expect him to sound just as atrocious as he.

"Now, now, let's not –"

All of a sudden, Naraku narrowed his eyes. He could sense them… he could sense those human girls; they have escaped.

Naraku would have gone after them himself, only… he had a far better idea.

Before InuYasha, Miroku or even Sesshomaru knew what was happening, Naraku stabbed InuYasha in the chest; and he made it excruciatingly **painful**. Naraku whispered in InuYasha's ear, "If I were you, I'd transform and find those girls. Sounds to me they have escaped."

InuYasha widened his eyes, his heartbeat quickened and he saw nothing but red. He saw nothing but blood…. And it made him angry.

"InuYasha!" Miroku called out.

"What…the….hell did you do to me?" InuYasha snarled, as Naraku pulled back – letting the half-demon crumble down to the floor on his knees. He was getting close to transforming… Naraku smirked.

"I did not do this to you," Naraku announced. "You did this to yourself. Isn't that right, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru did not, could not and will not tolerate anymore of this…

All he could hear… was Rin's screams.

All he could hear… was her suffering.

At this point, it was better to kill Naraku now. He could find Rin; he couldn't let her be on her own… he could detect her ravishing scent…

Then Sesshomaru went in…

Then all hell broke loose.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Kagome, it's fine – you don't need to turn your head every five seconds," Sango hissed, but she whispered at the same time.

Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You know what? I'm pretty sure that Naraku is going to find us!" It wasn't Kagome's fault if she decided to be the look-out. After all, Naraku could be watching them!

Secretly, both Kagome and Rin were impressed with Sango's escape plan. It turned out that she had a spare tool in her pocket that cut the prison bars loose. Thus, they managed to decompress the cage and escape. Considering they made a lot of noise, it was amazing that they didn't get caught. Yet.

Kagome's heart was violently pounding against her chest, not to mention the fact that she was paranoid. Rin, however, was a different story. Sure, she was confident in this plan to save their lives, but she was still scared.

"Come on, we can get out of here alive," Sango snorted.

"But Kagome has a point. Where are all the guards?" Rin noted, taking a look around.

It had been twenty minutes (maybe longer) since they escaped and it sounded like the girls were starting to get jiffy. It wasn't like Sango was going to let anything happen to them, so why should they be concerned?

"You can be scared later; right now we have to move."

Another thing you could count on Sango on? It was the ability to trust her to look after you if need be.

However, Rin froze, as did Kagome…

Kagome's heart was sure to jump out of her chest any moment, as she heard the most terrifying growl. It couldn't be…

All of a sudden, it felt like she couldn't move, nor could she breathe.

What if it was InuYasha? What if he transformed?

She slid to the ground; she couldn't bear for InuYasha to wield the pain… She couldn't be able to stand him IN pain…

"What was that?" Rin whispered loudly, although it sounded more like a whimper. She sounded deadly terrified.

"I don't know," Sango replied, widening her eyes – as did the rest of her friends.

"Kagome?" Rin noticed the eerie look on Kagome's face; not only did she appear to be scared, she also looked… sad. Rin could see it in her eyes…

"It's InuYasha," Kagome murmured, as tears started to form in her chocolate brown eyes. They slowly slipped down her cheeks, like they were rain drops. "It's InuYasha."

It was like Kagome had predicted correctly; a pair of crimson eyes glowed.

Shivers ran down each and every one of the girls' spine; most of them feeling disturbed… Kagome was the only one who couldn't afford to be scared. Even though she had been terrified about getting caught, she had to get herself together. She had to protect her friends!

Kagome slowly stood up, before making her way to guard Sango and Rin – standing in front of them. She tried to appear confident, brave and courageous all at the same time.

She clenched her fists and tensed her body; she then waited for him to come out…

"Kagome…"

Kagome gasped, stupefied… That was InuYasha's voice calling out to her… "InuYasha?"

"Get out of here. Before I tear you apart," He roared.

Kagome shook her head. "No. I won't leave you."

Then all hell broke loose…

"Kagome!" Sango and Rin cried out at the same time, absolutely devastated as to what had just happened…

Kagome fell to the ground, as blood poured out of her shoulder… Her eyes were nearly fully dilated… Her heart nearly stopped beating altogether as she finally realized what had occurred.

InuYasha tried to kill her… But he warned her didn't he?

She lay frozen still, practically unsure what she should do next… No. It was no question of what she should do… She had to get her friends to safety.

"Rin... Sango... run!" She weakly called out, hoping that she could convince them…

Rin ran straight to her side. "We aren't going to leave you here," She said bluntly.

Kagome could detect bravery within her younger friend's eyes… No more was she terrified; like Kagome, she found the strength to be dauntless.

However, before Kagome could reply, she witnessed the form of InuYasha escape the confinement of the shadows… making his way toward the three girls.

The look on his face was enough to say it all; he was completely brain dead.

He looked like a monster… But Kagome did not fear him. If she could bring him out of this state once before, she was more than certain she was ready to do it again…

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Sango exclaimed, worriedly.

Kagome ignored both of her friends' calls to stay back… All she cared about now was getting InuYasha back…

"InuYasha?" Kagome called out softly; she ignored the claws, which were covered in blood. She ignored the ache in her shoulder, as it bled out…

She walked closer to him…

No matter what, Kagome would save him. No matter what the cost was.

"InuYasha, please hear me… I know you're in there. Aren't you?" Kagome knew she would start crying again… "I don't know how you transformed again, but I'm here for you."

Then… she saw a faint light behind his eyes; it was as though he recognized her for a moment. It meant that she was getting one step closer to saving him.

"I know it must be painful, but I'm here to take it away. I will always be here for you," Kagome continued walking toward him…

"It's because I love you, InuYasha. It will always be you."

Kagome mustered up the strength – the remainder that she had – to run to him…. And she kissed him passionately on the lips, as tears ran down her pale cheeks.

_Please, InuYasha… I don't want to forget about you. And I know you don't want to forget about me, either._

She loved him and she would never give up on him…

The only thing she could remember, before giving way into the darkness, was seeing bright honey eyes shedding tears…

**:3 :3 :3**

Anger. Bitterness. Hopelessness… Loneliness…

This was what InuYasha felt… That was how he felt when he had truly awakened; knowing that he had hurt the woman he loved.

"Kagome!" Unfortunately, it was useless… she had passed out in his arms; of which his claws were covered in blood. Her blood.

InuYasha knew he was crying… Not only was he disgusted with himself, he nearly lost her. She was alive. But barely.

He changed his position so she was being carried in his arms. He was going to get her out of here. If that was the last thing that he could ever do.

"InuYasha?"

He glanced up to see Rin and Sango looking in his eyes, both of them shedding tears. He wouldn't blame them if they thought it was his fault that Kagome was hurt. It was very much true.

"Can you two walk?" He asked gruffly.

Sango snorted. "Can you?"

Rin, however, nodded her head, but she clutched her abdomen – as though she were in pain. InuYasha glanced toward Rin, but Sango replied, "I will help Rin. You have someone else to protect."

"Then let's go."

**:3 :3 :3**

"Miroku, are you alright?"

He opened his eyes… to see InuYasha – in his rightful form – and the woman of his dreams, as well as Rin, walking behind him.

He smiled. "I'll be fine." But then he took a good look at Sango… that appeared to be suffering in her injuries the most.

"Sango!" Miroku ran over to his girlfriend, as she helped to lay Rin on the ground, before collapsing into the warmth of her boyfriend's arms… of which she missed so much.

"Miroku!" Sango sobbed, wrapping her arms tight around his waste.

He comforted her best he could; he cradled her head gently to his chest, before saying, "It's alright, my dear, Sango. You are safe."

Rin looked on, smiling, couldn't help but feeling proud and happy for her. For her to be saved…

But where was Sesshomaru?

Her abdomen throbbed once more, causing her to whimper. It was getting worse each time…

"Rin, are you okay?" Sango asked.

"It hurts…" She muttered, rubbing her abdomen gently.

"It's alright. We're going to get out of here," Sango reassured Rin, embracing her in a small hug. Rin gave her a small smile in return.

"Let's hope so."

"Oi! Where's Sesshomaru?" InuYasha grunted. "And that bastard Naraku?"

Miroku sighed, rubbing his temples. "I believe that they are sorting things out."

Rin couldn't help but sigh in relief. As long as he was safe… that was all that mattered to her.

**:3 :3 :3**

**And so in the next chapter, we shall see how Sesshomaru is handling Naraku!**

**This chapter is inspired by the song: Krone (it's a really emotional song, so I suggest you listen to it. :D) **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^_^**

**Please leave a review – I'd love to know what you think!**


	41. You Can Be My Hero, Baby

**What is going to happen to our good old enemy Naraku? (And by good, I mean the opposite. LOL) **

**Thanks go out to:**

**Warm-Amber92**: About that little bond – you're going to have to wait and see. XD But yes, everyone will come out of this alive. (Except for Naraku, but who cares about him? LOL)

**CityOfFallenAshes**: I abuse the caps lock too sometimes. He he… And I wish I can fly around just like you! Unfortunately, I have to stick to walking/running on the ground. LOL.

**Guest**: He might, actually. Just read the chapter, okay? Thank you so much! XD

**Sunrise Phoenix**: I love how you can say that about Naraku without sounding like a serial killer! LOL! But hey – at least you didn't have a sucky computer virus! :P Thanks for reviewing!

**DragonofYang**: Aww, thank you so much for reviewing! You made my day! ^_^

**Status: Edited, but if there are any grammatical errors, please blame Naraku! ^_^ **

**Chapter 40**

"You know, Sesshomaru, I really am wondering why you have come," Naraku said, as the mighty dog demon of the West fell on his knees, panting.

"Was it because of that lovely young woman? Rin, was it?" Naraku smirked as he saw the glare coming from the normally stoic demon. He knew that he had touched a nerve; Naraku knew he was right. Sesshomaru also let his heart be taken by a human girl, not which was a surprise. After all, he was like his father in that way. In all honesty, Naraku thought of him foolish. Sesshomaru was supposed to be mighty, one without weakness.

It seemed like Sesshomaru's compassion for his woman will be his undoing…

It was, however, such a shame that such power would die off; but even Naraku knew that no one must be more powerful than him…

"Or maybe you came because she looked like Rinna?"

Sesshomaru snarled; his heart was beating against his chest… It was as though he was now experiencing heartbreak for the second time, as Naraku mentioned his first lover…

"I'm sure Rin has plenty of questions to ask you about it."

Sesshomaru paused, ignoring the blood slipping down his chest, as he ignored the pain… How would Rin know such a thing? Not even a moment later, he knew that Naraku had attempted to do something to Rin…

"What did you do?" Was what Sesshomaru managed to say, sounding quite bitter about it.

"It didn't take much; I only spoke the truth," Naraku shrugged his shoulders.

Sesshomaru was tempted to rip his throat out right now.

"And truth be told, Sesshomaru, it is your fault that she is in this mess. If you had let her live a normal human life…"

"You would not have left her alone," Sesshomaru growled.

He knew that Naraku had a twisted fetish of manipulating other people to his doing. He knew that Naraku enjoyed torturing countless souls – all because it was fun….

"You have a point, but that is not the point."

Did Sesshomaru already mention that Naraku had another tendency to speak in cryptic language? Although, sometimes he did so as well.

"The point, Sesshomaru, is that do you need to drag an innocent young woman into your personal life? Of course, knowing that she would have no clue as to who you really are. It is a shame, really."

"This Sesshomaru does not care what you think."

"You think you are all-powerful, Sesshomaru. But in reality, you are not."

Naraku stepped closer to him, as he then stabbed him in the shoulder; and quite frankly, he made it hurt. A lot – for someone such as Sesshomaru.

"How can you hope to protect your lover if you cannot protect yourself?" Naraku hissed, leaning closer to see Sesshomaru's cold expression.

No one questioned Sesshomaru's strength, except those who were willing to sign their own death warrants.

"And let's not forget you have tried to kill me; but even then, you still cannot do even that!"

Sesshomaru narrowed his xanthic eyes; he knew that Naraku was trying to evoke a reaction from him… But why…

"You see, I have fallen in love with a human woman myself. And to be perfectly honest, she just keeps saying no. However, I wonder what Miss Rin would think if I proposed to save her friends' life… in return for her goods," Naraku licked his lips, doing so painfully slow, as he glared into Sesshomaru's eyes.

"Do you wish to die by this Sesshomaru's hands?" Sesshomaru began to stand up, ignoring the laceration in his body. It was of no consequence. Rin was his main concern…But first, this parasite had to be exterminated.

"Give it your best shot," Naraku encouraged, giving Sesshomaru a slimy grin.

Sesshomaru crackled his claws – which were mildly covered in blood – before rushing forward in a graceful manner to slash Naraku…

**:3 :3 :3**

"Where are you going?" Sango asked, curious, but she also sounded pissed. She narrowed her eyes in the direction of InuYasha – who laid Kagome gently unto the ground.

"I'm going to take care of this shit," InuYasha replied, with a frown on his face and an uncontrollable rage fueling in his golden eyes. "Take care of her."

"I don't think so, InuYasha!" Sango spat out, stopping him in his tracks. "Kagome needs you right now, believe it or not! And what will she say once she learns that you went off to fight Naraku?"

InuYasha paused, as he glanced down unto Kagome's unconscious form. He had hurt her…

"Besides, what if it's a trap?" Rin pointed out, as she bit her lip in a worried fashion.

"Who the hell cares if it is? As long as he's alive, none of you are safe," InuYasha retaliated, crushing his hands into fists; it was getting harder for him to reign in his temper. Hell, he was positive there was a chance he'd transform again. InuYasha couldn't transform now, of all times. He had done that once before and he had nearly killed Kagome. "Kagome won't be safe," He muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Miroku, Sango and Rin to hear.

"InuYasha, we all know what you have to do. But once Kagome wakes –" Miroku started, but InuYasha interrupted him.

"She doesn't need to know."

"Of course she has to know, InuYasha! She'll be chasing after you if she learned that you left her!"

Sango knew she was right; Kagome was stubborn – she would never leave without InuYasha by her side.

"I'm doing this for her! Don't you patronize me on what she'd do! Just… keep her safe," InuYasha added, before he turned and ran straight into the darkness…

"We will," Miroku nodded, ignoring the frantic expression that his girlfriend carried.

"What?" Sango furrowed her eyebrows, clearly confused; why would Miroku let him go? Would InuYasha even be strong enough to take Naraku down?

"How could you let him go?" Sango spat out, smacking her boyfriend in the chest multiple times; his arms surrounded her and as much as she loved feeling safe and warm in his arms… she was just too angry to submit.

"What about… Sesshomaru?" Rin questioned out loud, as though it was meant to be a rhetorical question.

She was missing him to pieces already; what if… what if he was up against Naraku?

Rin couldn't hold back her tears: the mere thought of Sesshomaru hurt was enough to make her cry… but the thought of losing him forever was enough to make her die inside. She had to admit that he was one of the best things that happened to her; he had saved her life multiple times. He even admitted that he was into her… Granted at first, Rin thought he was incapable of any emotions other than anger. But even then, she had to save him first. Didn't she?

"Oh God," Rin moaned, as she hugged her knees, while a plethora of emotions ran through her mind. She felt like hyperventilating: she felt like she had every reason to panic!

"Rin, it's going to be okay," Sango embraced her friend, molding her arms around Rin's shaking form.

"It's not me I'm worried about," Rin sobbed, while tears ran down her face. "It's Sesshomaru."

It was not every day that Rin broke down: even if the day came, no one would be used to seeing Rin so sad… nor would they ever be prepared each time it happened.

"InuYasha is going to find him," Sango vowed.

"How… do you know that?"

"Because…" What could Sango possibly say to make Rin feel better? She wasn't like Kagome in that department; the one where she could easily comfort those who needed it.

"Because InuYasha and Sesshomaru are brothers; I doubt InuYasha would let Sesshomaru take Naraku on alone," Miroku answered.

Both girls were shocked at this revelation; they were brothers? Well, it wasn't exactly a shock to Sango. After all, they both looked very similar in terms of appearances. Rin, seeing that she didn't get a proper introduction, was the one who was shell-shocked. But like Sango, she took time to note that InuYasha had the same hair colour and eye colour. But that was as far as what Rin could make of it. She knew that Sesshomaru was far less rude than InuYasha; she also knew that InuYasha was the type to run head-first into battle. She had just witnessed that after all. But there was the fact that Sesshomaru had been cold toward her for a little while, whereas InuYasha openly showed his emotions – like he was proud of them.

At first Rin thought that it was emotions that got her into this mess… but the truth was, it was obviously Naraku's feelings that brought all of them together. From what she had been told was that Naraku had an obsession with Kagome. Sick bastard that was who he was. Which led her to think of how Kagome managed to put up with him in his capture?

Then Rin felt comforted, knowing that her boyfriend would be safe… He had to be. With InuYasha watching his back, could things go wrong? No. She couldn't jinx herself. She had to stay strong now; she had to believe.

"So what should we do now?" Rin asked, as she wiped her tears.

There was nothing to do now except wait for Kagome to wake up and to wait for InuYasha to return…

**:3 :3 :3**

InuYasha knew he felt terrible, leaving Kagome behind… But he had no choice. He could feel guilty later; all he had to do now was kill that son of a bitch… As long as Naraku lived, none of them would be safe. It was the absolute truth…

He couldn't afford to lose Kagome now – nor his new friends…

After years of being Naraku's bitch in the cage, it was enough to push InuYasha over the edge. There was nothing that he wanted more than revenge for what he had done; and this grudge had only happened between them… it was all because that Kikyo had chosen InuYasha.

But it seemed like fate intervened. Naraku had closed InuYasha away in a capsule and Kikyo had died.

InuYasha couldn't describe the rage he felt that day… learning that the woman he first loved had been killed. To him, it seemed like the world had ended… but was it the first time that he had cried? He may have tears in his eyes that day, fifty years ago, but he didn't let them fall. It was because he thought he was strong at the time. InuYasha's pride had stopped him from crying…

InuYasha definitely couldn't describe how he felt toward Naraku nowadays; other than the fact that he was more than happy to finish that bastard off. Yet he made a promise to his elder brother, who had always scoffed at him about falling in love… that he would finish Naraku off. But it would seem that he'd break that promise.

"InuYasha… what a pleasure to see you again," Naraku chuckled, as InuYasha dashed into the room… of where Naraku tried to brainwash him.

"Yeah well, it's the last time you'll ever see me!" InuYasha yelled, before taking in the sight of his elder brother unconscious.

"Take a good look, InuYasha. Sesshomaru will turn out to be the lucky one after I'm through with you," Naraku said slowly, maliciously, like an insane man. No. To InuYasha, he was insane.

"Bring it on, you son of a bitch," was all InuYasha said.

Not for the first time, hell would unleash upon them… and one of them would not make it out alive…

**:3 :3 :3**

"I think she's starting to wake up," one voice called… was it from a distance? Or was it from up close?

Kagome couldn't tell; to be honest, she still felt a little dizzy. But other than that… Then a terrible laceration hit against her. It was at that point Kagome remembered her shoulder ached… Was it still bleeding?

"Kagome, how are you feeling?"

Even in the darkness, Kagome could tell who that was… "Sango?" She managed to breathe out.

"It's okay. We're all here."

"Where's… InuYasha?" Kagome asked calmly. She hoped that InuYasha was still here with her… Because all she remembered was seeing his gorgeous eyes gazing apologetically into her own. Kagome knew it wasn't a dream; it had been reality. She had actually saved him from his dark side.

"Where is he?" Kagome asked once more, noticing that no one had answered her. She sat up abruptly, practically shaking off the pain in her shoulder.

There was no point lying to Kagome… Even though it should have been for her sake, she had to know the truth. Rin wouldn't feel good about lying to her: it wasn't in her place to call the shots.

"Did he go and…" Kagome trailed off; everyone knew what she was going to ask at this point.

"Kagome –" Miroku warned, but Kagome wouldn't tolerate it anymore. She couldn't tolerate people protecting her; shielding her from danger. When really, InuYasha was the one that was in trouble. Yes, she appreciated her friends taking care of her, but it wasn't their job anymore: it had always been InuYasha's.

"I have to go you guys," Kagome proclaimed, standing up. "InuYasha had saved me more than once. It's not that I owe him for that. I love him."

Was it really anyone else's place to argue with her?

Then again, it was Naraku that InuYasha was up against. How could Kagome take him down?

**:3 :3 :3**

"You are persistent, for a half-breed," Naraku said, as he continued to wrap his hand around InuYasha's neck – cutting him off of air. "You must really love Kagome to come this far, don't you think?"

His disgusting breath floated through the air, touching InuYasha's skin. If it was his choice, he'd barf. Instead, he growled; like a feral animal.

Then Naraku decided to toss him aside, like the puppy that he was. He threw him across the room. It wasn't for the first time he had done so… When would he die?

InuYasha grunted, before standing back up. He wasn't going to appear weak and helpless; he knew that he could do this.

"But wait a moment; don't you love Kikyo?" Naraku knew for certain he meant every word. "Does Kagome know?"

"Bastard…"

Naraku smirked in victory. "I'm afraid that your mild accusation should be used on someone who was actually born one."

InuYasha could go all day with the insults and with the beatings. But he would never give up…

"What are we to do with you, InuYasha?" Naraku clicked his tongue multiple times, as though he were complex by the situation at hand. "Can I kill you now? Then all my problems are solved; then Kagome will be mine."

InuYasha wiped the blood off of his lips. "Kagome will never be yours," He snarled in retaliation. As long as Naraku was never in her future…

"Who are you to decide what is best for her, InuYasha? I believe you have made this mistake one time before."

"You're the one that caused her death, you bastard."

Naraku stabbed InuYasha through the chest, with one of his tentacles, causing InuYasha to cry out in pain… and for him to collapse unto his knees. "You mewling quim – she was supposed to choose me," Naraku spat, his tone filled with venom. He also sounded as though he were in pain…

"Maybe… she only saw evil in you."

Naraku laughed. "And we are supposed to believe that you are a saint, InuYasha? You have destroyed countless lives before: you are no better than me."

Then an angelic voice rang out confidently throughout the miasma-filled room… "Damn you, Naraku! You do not have the right to judge InuYasha on what he has done! YOU are no better than him!" Kagome yelled, as she ran to her boyfriend's side.

She had listened to everything… Kagome had heard all of what they were conversing. But for now, the topic of Kikyo was not important.

Kagome hugged InuYasha, while kissing his face multiple times. "Are you alright?" Kagome asked concernedly, as she looked into his beautiful honey-gold eyes with love and passion.

InuYasha grunted, "I'll live." Then he saw the bandage wrapped on her shoulder; guilt immediately consumed half of him. "You better stay back."

Kagome wasn't going to disagree with him at this point. "Be careful."

InuYasha kissed her forehead, before unwrapping his kimono; he placed it over her – with every intention of protecting her from the miasma.

"Now… where were we?"

"I was about to kill you with my bare hands," Naraku deadpanned, giving InuYasha a cold stare of disgust.

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin, Sango and Miroku managed to follow Kagome easily through the mist. They had a right to be concerned; the miasma was getting worse at every turn… They could all die if they did not do something soon.

Rin was primarily concerned for Kagome, but once she noticed an unconscious form within the same vicinity as Naraku… her heart nearly stopped.

"Sesshomaru," Rin – not for the first time –was about to faint… she was about to cry too. Heck, even her heart was going to break into pieces.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin yelled, before running to his side.

God, she hoped he was alright… She prayed that he was still alive… And she never even told him that she loved him! She never even told him that he was the only one that she could ever see herself be with…

Rin attached herself to Sesshomaru's body, weeping… Tears spilled down her cheeks to fall onto his own.

"Sesshomaru, please wake up," Rin begged, as she kissed his magenta stripes.

She hugged his sleeping form, feeling absolutely devastated… If only she hadn't been kidnapped: maybe this wouldn't have happened to him.

Meanwhile, Kagome was heartbroken for her friend. Then that heartbreak turned into anger.

That she could use to direct toward Naraku.

"How dare you!" Kagome yelled, as she caught the attention of the bastard that kidnapped them. "How dare you use Rin's love for Sesshomaru! How dare you use any of us to get what you want! You are heartless and you deserve to be alone!"

Naraku narrowed his crimson eyes. "What would you know about heartbreak?"

InuYasha stood protectively in front of Kagome, ready to defend her.

"I would know that if Kikyo were still here, she'd be ashamed of you! Yes, I never knew her, but to think that she fell in love with InuYasha meant that she was a caring person! If you truly loved her, Naraku, then you would have learned to let her go without regrets! True love isn't about possessing someone – it's not about owning them! You don't connect with people, which means that you –"

"Silence!" Naraku sent a tentacle in her direction, as a result of his anger.

Kagome winced, as she waited for it to strike her down… But it never came.

Instead, she felt herself in the protective arms of InuYasha as he carried her to safety, near her friends…

"Stay here and stay out of trouble," InuYasha growled, before taking off to attack Naraku.

Kagome could only hope that InuYasha will win…

**:3 :3 :3**

"Hurts, don't it? Knowing that you can't be with someone that you think you love?" InuYasha said, as he used his claws to take hold of Naraku's heart – which he ripped out…

Naraku choked, as blood began pouring out of his throat.

"Maybe you can learn to connect with people in hell," InuYasha said, before delivering the final blow…

**:3 :3 :3**

All throughout watching InuYasha maim Naraku, Kagome felt certain that InuYasha would have won.

InuYasha had courage on his side, as well as his affection for her.

Kagome looked in Rin's direction, and smiled. Rin shouldn't have played a part in any of this… Neither should have Sango. They should have had the time to be happy – instead of fighting against someone like Naraku. Kagome knew that Sango would no longer be troubled by the hold that Naraku had on her. She was happy now…

The fact that Rin had fallen in love with Sesshomaru while putting up with the fact that Naraku could have attacked them at any given point… it was incredible. True love indeed prevailed.

Sango had Miroku, Rin had Sesshomaru and Kagome had InuYasha. Life was finally calm and peaceful again… It was all over; the conflict that had begun to rise after her fateful meeting with Naraku.

Kagome didn't regret meeting InuYasha, obviously…

She ran into InuYasha's arms, kissing the daylights out of him. He reciprocated, as he wrapped his arms around her, gently.

This moment was perfect.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Are you alright?" Rin smiled in relief, as the man of her dreams held her cheeks with his hands.

"No injuries of consequence," Sesshomaru stated, as he continued to gaze into Rin's beautiful almond eyes… She was safe… that was all that mattered.

Rin couldn't help but wince in pain, feeling her abdomen strike at her – as though it were telling her it needed healing.

"You are injured," Sesshomaru sat up, as he placed one hand to her abdomen, caressing it softly…

Rin leaned on his shoulder, enjoying the moment. "It is nothing of consequence," she couldn't help but retort, yet her smile never left her face.

All of a sudden, she felt like she was being lifted in Sesshomaru's arms.

"You need to be healed."

Rin knew it was not a good idea to argue with her boyfriend at this point. She should let herself enjoy being carried in his strong, protective hold. Shouldn't she?

**:3 :3 :3**

"Sango, what is wrong?" Miroku asked, kissing the crown of Sango's head, as he embraced her lovingly.

"It's all over now. Naraku's finally dead," Sango smiled, as though she had just recognized this now. No more would she be in pain… no more would she have to worry about Naraku.

"Now all we have to do is find Kohaku," Miroku pointed out.

And God, did he ever enjoy the smile that was spreading on her face… To Miroku, she appeared to be the most beautiful angel on the planet. He couldn't get enough of her.

"Then let's go."

Each and every one of these couples had something in common: they had hope.

**:3 :3 :3**

**So… what did you guys think? **

**Please leave a review – I (really) want to know what you guys think! ^_^ Your opinions MATTER, people! XD**


	42. Set Fire To The Rain

**The epilogue is coming after this chapter, folks! ^_^**

**Warm-Amber92**: Naraku was just an annoying pain in the ass. LOL! Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to continue this, this story is coming to an end… I don't think I have it in me to continue writing this story up to 100 chapters. :P

**Guest**: Right you are my faithful reviewer! ^_^ Just after this chapter… XD

**CityOfFallenAshes**: Um… did I not SAY that it was going to be over soon? Well it will be once the epilogue is posted up! XD Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Fearless-forever98**: Thanks so much! Rin and Sesshomaru moments are just too cute! ^_^

**TheRealInuyasha**: HE'S DEAD! Now everything is back to normal! Everyone found true love, so it's all good! XD

**Seeker Heart**: Thank you so much, darling! Your reviews mean a lot to me! :D

**Status: We all get the picture… Blame freaking – actually, there's no one else to blame now that Naraku's dead. **

**Chapter 41**

Even after all the hardships that Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Rin had faced… it didn't make things easier after. There was still time to grieve over what they had lost. Or at least Rin had time to think about what she nearly lost.

Kagome knew that Naraku's death was the stepping stone to something else, but she had no clue what the future held in store for her and her friends. All she knew was that she had the time to finally grieve for her family, along with InuYasha by her side. It was something about the grieving process that lessened her: it was like Kagome was ready to let go of any harboring feelings deep within her heart. She knew she was ready. It turned out that all it took for her loose ends to be tied up was the death of the monster that caused them to be loose in the first place.

Even though Kagome had lost her father and her grandfather to Naraku, it was nothing to what Sango must have felt. Naraku stripping everything from Sango like he had owned her: he had taken Kohaku, he had taken her innocence, and he had taken her father's life… Sango must feel freer now that Naraku was dead.

From what Sango had told her, and from what Miroku had told Sango this past week, was that Miroku had a rough past with Naraku; all Sango had planned to tell her was that he had once been offered to be a part of his gang… nothing good ever came out of what happened next.

It had been one week since Naraku's death; since none of them actually wanted a criminal record on their hands, Sesshomaru and InuYasha lit the place on fire – destroying every piece of evidence that said otherwise…

It had been one week since Kagome had been put through hell; she had to deal with a powerful demon that had a disturbing crush on her. In any given life or death situation, confidence was something that came clear to her, but only if her friends were in danger.

It was now one of those times when Kagome felt absolutely sure she was going to live the rest of her life in peace. She was sure that there were no other loose ends to tie up… Until she remembered something: Kikyo.

Kagome had meant to ask InuYasha about her, ever since they had come out of this unscathed. She wanted to demand who was she to him? But after going through the countless memories of him coming after her, as well as his behavior toward her… she then knew that she wasn't Kikyo. She was Kagome.

"Kagome?" Sakura knocked on the door, before entering.

Kagome couldn't help but notice the tears in her mother's eyes; this was finally the day where they would put her father and her grandfather to rest. It seemed as though Sakura bottled all of her emotions up to this point. Now was the right time to start grieving. Kagome knew she had a few tears in her eyes herself…

Kagome gave her mother a hug, as her arms wrapped around her small form. Kagome was glad to feel her mother's arms around her again: she was surrounded by the people she knew and loved but nothing compared to having the one who gave you life showing how they felt about you.

"Are you ready?" Sakura wiped her daughter's tears away; at seventeen years of age, Kagome had always been the strong one. Sakura knew she was lucky to have such a warrior in her family… Kagome was not only strong, but smart, selfless, kind and beautiful – the attributes that she had inherited from both sides of the family.

Kagome knew what the underlying meaning was; was Kagome ready to move on with her life? Was she ready to put this all behind her and look forward to the bright future she had in front of her?

"Yes."

Sakura kissed the top of her only child's head. "My dear, sweet, Kagome. Always so brave. Now let's head on downstairs: InuYasha's here."

It went without saying that InuYasha was definitely part of the family now; Kagome's life had been saved multiple times and had proved to Sakura how worthy he was of being with her romantically.

Kagome nodded.

She could do this.

**:3 :3 :3**

Of course it was raining by the time they headed to the cemetery; it was one of those stormy rains that had to happen once in a life time… It was one of those storms that had to happen before any sunshine and rainbows could come out in a cheerful manner.

But today, it was dreary and dark; but that did not mean that the people attending the funeral, and memorial, of Kagome's father and grandfather, were painfully sad.

Yes, tears were shed as the service went on, and yes, Kagome cried upon InuYasha's shoulder as he caressed her in a comforting manner… but it was meant to happen.

It was normal to feel InuYasha's arms wrapped protectively around her; she felt safe in his presence. Not that she'd allow herself to be shackled up to the feeling that she once called a friend 'paranoid'.

It was all over…

"Kagome?" Sango walked up to her, wearing a black belt coat – which covered her knee-length sleeveless dress in the same shade. For someone who never dressed up like they were in a fashion magazine, Sango should have known how chic she looked just now…

Both girls enveloped each other in a comforting embrace, both of them shedding tears. Neither of them could say they were tears of sadness…

"How are you?"

After everything that has happened, that was the main question of discussion passed around their friends. Kagome didn't blame Sango for asking this.

"Well, at least it's over," Kagome supplied, sighing heavily.

The girls looked each other square in the eye, as though they were digging deep to find the truth… to see if either one of them was hiding something.

"Did you talk to InuYasha yet?" Sango asked, curious – neither sounding judgmental or negative.

In a moment of weakness, Kagome, a few days ago, had talked to Sango about Kikyo… Sango, being the best friend that she was, didn't judge her for her thoughts. Nor did she say anything that would have made the situation worse. But deep down, Kagome must know that Sango knew that she was ticked about the whole thing. Sango could be over-protective… Especially now she learned that InuYasha had once loved a woman that was practically a doppelganger of Kagome.

Kagome shook her head. "Not yet. I'm not even sure if I can talk to him about it."

One minute she thought that it didn't matter, then the next she just wanted to know about her… and now she was not even sure what she wanted to do. It was really starting to confuse her. The last thing that she and InuYasha needed was last minute drama with ex-girlfriends. Especially since the storm with Naraku had just ended…

"If you want my opinion, Kagome, why don't you go and talk to him? I'm sure that he loves you." Sango was 1000%, completely sure that InuYasha was the only one for Kagome. He had proved it a LOT of times, after all. Not to mention that he had plenty of time to get to know her.

And she just didn't think that InuYasha would have had it in him to love Kagome as someone else.

"You think so? Maybe…" Kagome shrugged her shoulders halfheartedly. Considering that Sango hardly ever said anything this mushy (in terms of romance), she knew she was serious. "So how are you doing? With everything?"

"Well, Miroku is going to help me find Kohaku. He could be anywhere in Japan. But I know what you're thinking – school comes first!" Sango chuckled sheepishly.

"School is practically over, Sango. There are only a couple of weeks left. Plus, you should go find him. If I were in your position, I'd focus on Kohaku."

Sango gave Kagome an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Kagome. But I don't know how long I'd be gone, plus…"

Kagome could tell that Sango had been giving this a lot of thought; judging from the blush on her face… Kagome knew that there was a possibility Sango wanted to take a certain someone to come with her.

"So you want to take Miroku with you? We're at a funeral, here, Sango," Kagome teased, as she poked her friend in a playful manner.

Sango wasn't the type to act embarrassed that often. Sango flushed, as Kagome saw her cheeks turning an even darker colour of red.

"Oh, you're killing me here, Kagome! I haven't asked him yet; I would have asked if you'd like to come with me, but I didn't think your mom would have allowed it."

In other words, Sango was worried that they'd run into demons from their past.

"No, no, it's fine. Besides, you have some making up to do with Miroku, don't you?"

There were few times when Sango couldn't put up with her friend's teasing.

"Come on, Kagome! Do I ever tease YOU about your love life?"

Kagome snickered. "Well, actually, now that you mention it…"

Sango's almond gaze flickered elsewhere, causing Kagome to believe that something else had caught her attention. Or maybe a certain someone had caught it.

"I think lover boy wants you," Sango winked, before heading off to leave the couple their privacy.

Kagome turned around, seeing the man of her dreams leaning against one of the sakura trees… She couldn't help but think he looked so handsome in the onyx kimono that her mother managed to give him.

Kagome walked toward him, but that didn't stop her from thinking…

Would now be the appropriate time to talk about the past? Would it be the right time to talk about Kikyo?

Her heart was pumping against her chest and she was also certain that butterflies were fluttering in her stomach.

"InuYasha," Kagome breathed out his name, in a whisper, as she found herself cradled against his chest in the most delicate way…

She pressed her face into his chest, smiling, as she could hear his heartbeat. It was something that could always calm her; whether if she was scared, lonely, sad or even happy.

"Are you alright?"

Kagome knew that he had always been concerned for her, since she had lost two important people in her life.

She pulled back, as she gave him a small smile. "I think I'll be okay. I have you with me. And there's something I want to talk to you about."

Judging by the serious expression in InuYasha's gold eyes, she knew that he knew…

"I know that you loved her, InuYasha. I just want to know… have you ever moved on from her?"

InuYasha widened his eyes, as though he had been taken back by surprise. Why would… why would Kagome ask him something like that? After what they had been through, shouldn't she… No. She had every right to question him about Kikyo.

"If you still love her, then I don't think it's fair to force yourself to love me. You know?" Kagome didn't think it'd come to this, but she was willing to let him go… that was if she was nothing more than second choice to InuYasha.

"Kagome. I… I love YOU, dammit!" InuYasha pulled Kagome in for a passionate kiss, as his arms took hold of her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

Kagome could swear that her cheeks were turning pink… Was it just her – or did InuYasha confess his undying love for her?

"I did love Kikyo, but… that was fifty years ago," InuYasha explained. "But she wasn't like you Kagome; she would have wanted me to become human for her. That was the only way we could have been together. But with you… it's different."

Kagome knew what he truly meant… InuYasha loved her because she was Kagome. He loved her for herself.

Kagome placed a finger on his lips, preventing him from speaking. "You don't have to convince me anymore. I believe you."

"Then let's get out of this fucking rain," InuYasha snorted.

Kagome giggled; you could always expect InuYasha to curse about something.

She kissed him on the cheek, before lacing her fingers with his own.

Though there were more things that they needed to discuss, Kagome was content with living in the moment…

**:3 :3 :3**

**Short, I know, but the epilogue won't be! ^_^**

**Please review: I'd love to know what you think!**


	43. Epilogue: Another Day, Another Sunrise

**Final exams. Who needs them? LOL! But seriously, I got an 83 on my Biology and I'm pretty proud of myself! XD **

**Hope you guys love the final installment of Genetic Love!**

**(Sheds a tear, then starts bawling)**

**Fearless-forever98**: Trust me: it's got Rin and Sesshomaru fluffy scenes! :) I bet that'll make your day! Thank you so much for reviewing! ^_^

**Warm-Amber92**: You think YOU are sad? I wrote this thing for nearly a year (in two months, it'll be the first anniversary)! I feel pretty darn sad it's coming to an end… (sighs) But yes, my epilogue will say something about Sango and Miroku's epic adventure! :D Thanks SO much for reviewing!

**Sunrise Phoenix**: There's no point saying farewell to you because you're reading Change of Heart! LOL. But seriously, I hope you LOVE the epilogue! And I REALLY appreciate you reviewing this story to the end! :D

**Guest**: Whoo boy, I bet I got you flustered there for a moment. And yes, the epilogue should be satisfying! :D Thanks a lot for reviewing!

**TheRealInuyasha**: The ghost of Naraku cannot prevail! I hired a priestess who would prevent any sort of evil spirits from haunting my house. JK! XD But seriously, that would be AWESOME! I really loved your reviews: Thank you very much for reviewing!

**Menarie**: All things have to come to an end sometimes… If I were to include Kagome having miko powers, then there would be another twenty or so chapters in this story that would focus on her! But I'm not – because I'm evil like that. Hehehehe… Thanks for reviewing – I really appreciate it!

**Epilogue: Another Day, Another Sunrise**

"InuYasha! Come here – I got another letter!" Kagome shouted with glee, as she tore open the awaiting package with her hands.

It had been three months; three stress-free, peaceful months without the pain in the butt Naraku to contend with, without sadness and fear, and of course – since Sango and Miroku had left to find Kohaku. It had also been three months since Kagome and InuYasha have practically declared their love… which stayed strong and hopefully, will stay strong in the duration of time itself.

"Stop nagging me, woman! I'm not your personal pet!" InuYasha barked, as he stomped over to Kagome's side… He always paused, taking note of Kagome's beauty… Today, she looked even more beautiful; wearing an ivory halter top dress that hugged her curves and elongated her legs, with her onyx hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall and a happy expression planted on her face was enough to make InuYasha happy too…

Kagome giggled. "I know. But you are mine," she whispered huskily, before leaning in to kiss her boyfriend on the lips. InuYasha grabbed unto her shoulders as he reciprocated the passionate kiss, couldn't help but loving the feel of her smooth lips touching his own…

Unfortunately, Kagome just had to pull away. She was such a tease…

"Anyways, let's read it. Shall we?" Kagome tugged on InuYasha's hand, leading him into her family's backyard – of where they kept their garden.

InuYasha's fingers instinctively latched onto her petite hand, as he let her lead…

It was at times like these when he wondered… how he could deserve such a special woman like her.

It was at times when he felt his heartbeat flutter that he knew he was in love…

Kagome loved him and he loved her… but could he say those three words? InuYasha knew that Kagome knew of his feelings for her…

Kagome sat down on the bench, that overlooked the garden – filled with the most beautiful flowers, as well as the Sakura tree that lay dormant in the center of it. The iridescent and extremely colourful flowers represented hope… Hope that they will persevere in calamities that may try to break them apart…

"Now listen closely, InuYasha. I know Miroku had something to say about you," Kagome winked suggestively in her boyfriend's direction.

"Just read the damn letter," InuYasha grumbled, as he crossed his arms.

**Dear Kagome and InuYasha (yes, we will keep including you in this letter because you are our dear friend)**

**If you want to know how things are going, both Miroku and I say that we are walking one step closer to finding my brother. And you both know that I won't give up on finding Kohaku, because let's face it, he is the only family I have. And yes, I still believe that he's alive; even if it had been three months since we last saw each other Kags, I still have hope. **

**You should be satisfied that Miroku is my inspiration to keep going when there are times I feel like it's too much: like I have given up hope. Now let me remind you that he hasn't said anything as perverted in the last couple of weeks, so please take this note seriously. **

**If you MUST know where we are (considering Miroku has been leaving behind little 'clues' to our whereabouts) we are heading into China; because someone seems to assume that Kohaku has been spotted there… let's hope that we can find him this time. **

**Oh, if you're wondering where we got the money to travel, let's just say that Miroku knows someone and I know someone… Demon slayers don't come cheap!**

**Speaking of romances, Miroku and I are still rooting for you and InuYasha; although, Miroku tends to contribute some very perverted ideas that have been corporate into your relationship. Just ignore the fact that he says that all the time. Okay?**

**Love you lots, Kags! I hope we'll see each other again sometime soon!**

**Love, Sango**

**PS: He knows about the t-rex hands that he has… Who the hell told him that?**

Kagome snickered, as she finished reading the post script of the letter from her beloved friend. It was like Sango had forgotten that it was InuYasha who had listened in on the conversation… She had learned this because InuYasha admitted this to her. She was also aware that he must have heard something else… but it wasn't like Kagome would ask him – because let's face it; InuYasha would never admit most things. He's just too stubborn.

She leaned her head against InuYasha shoulder, in a completely devoted trance. Kagome felt as though she had won the lottery; she was too happy… She then noticed InuYasha wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. InuYasha wasn't afraid to display his affection for her, but when Sakura was around (turned out she went to buy some groceries), InuYasha was a little too embarrassed to show it. But it wasn't like either of them had a problem with it; that was just how InuYasha works. And Kagome loved him for it…

"Sango's almost close to finding him, InuYasha. She'll be so happy," Kagome sighed, completely relaxed… She had every reason to be cheerful, after all.

InuYasha kissed the crown of Kagome's head, while soaking in her addictive scent… "Yeah, well, she has Miroku with her."

"I wonder how the two of them are doing… I wonder if they even kissed," Kagome trailed off, as though she were actually considering the possibility.

"You're disgusting. Who's the pervert now?" InuYasha smirked, rubbing Kagome's side gently with one hand.

"I'll have you know I am NOT perverted!" Kagome cried out, before pushing InuYasha playfully.

"Really? Then I guess you didn't enjoy the sight of me coming out from the shower."

Kagome blushed; her cheeks were flaming red… She knew that InuYasha was right.

At one point in their relationship, Kagome had actually seen InuYasha's bare, well-proportioned chest… when he did come out of the shower (completely NUDE, she may add) and into her ROOM… one thing led to another.

"That was a month ago, you nitwit," Kagome chuckled, tucking a few locks of hair behind her ear, as she smiled at the ground.

Even when she was embarrassed, she'd play it like she wasn't… Kagome looked so beautiful doing that…

"And I have yet to see a thing or two from you."

Kagome's face was turning an even darker shade of red… That… she was NOT expecting!

"Pervert!" Kagome cried out, hiding her face within the safe vicinity of her hands – completely covering the flustered expression written all over her facial features.

"What's wrong – you're not crying, are you? NO CRYING!"

InuYasha HATED it when she cried… Women were so emotional these days; but InuYasha's excuse included the fact that someone could have hurt his Kagome. Something that he would not tolerate. Ever.

"I'm not crying, InuYasha; you just took me by surprise with that comment!"

Kagome and InuYasha had not been that intimate in their relationship as of yet, if that was what you were wondering about.

Then Kagome couldn't help but laugh, noting the appalled expression on InuYasha's handsome features… She definitely could lead someone on…

Kagome kissed InuYasha's cheek. "I forgive you, InuYasha. If you want a peak at my good stuff…"

It was incredibly entertaining to see InuYasha appear embarrassed; if only you were there to witness it…

"Oh, how I love you so, InuYasha," Kagome sighed happily, once again, closing her eyes to lie upon InuYasha's lap.

This was the kind of love that transcended time itself…

**:3 :3 :3**

"If you're planning to propose to me, Miroku – I suggest you wait ten years," Sango snorted, as her boyfriend of four months entered their hotel room.

"Ten years is too long, my sweet Sango!" Miroku cried out. As a result, Sango giggled; Miroku, whenever rejected, would take it to heart. Sometimes, he would overreact, others… it was because he wanted to see her smile.

Over the past few months travelling together, Sango knew she was one step closer to finally letting Miroku see her true self. Not only did he flower her with compliments – which he truly meant (without seduction being the ulterior motive), but he also was her shoulder to cry on when they had not succeeded in finding Kohaku.

Could China be the best bet? Could Sango truly find her brother?

She stood outside on the balcony, feeling the cool air touch her skin. Sango looked up into the stars, which glittered in the night sky… She prayed that she'd do everything she could to make sure Kohaku was back where he belonged.

She wouldn't know what to do if she couldn't find him…

"Sango?"

Tears were forming in the brunette demon slayer's eyes… "What if he's not out there, Miroku?"

Miroku was by her side in an instant. "Sango, we will find him. There's no need to doubt yourself."

Sango gave him a small smile. "I know that I can count on you to help me. But I just can't help feeling sometimes that I won't be able to locate Kohaku. He's my little brother and I miss him so much."

It was at that point when Sango burst into a series of cries…

Which led Sango to be in the arms of her reliable companion and lover… "We won't give up on searching for him, Sango. After all, I need his blessing to marry you."

Sango grinned weakly. "You don't mean that." He could be cheering her up, for all she knew. Which was somewhat working at this point.

"I'm serious, Sango. Would this face ever lie to you?"

Judging by the gleam in Sango's beautiful dark brown eyes, Miroku thought that Sango would know that he wouldn't attempt to lie to her…

"J-just kiss me," Sango blurted out, as though she had been keeping a bottled secret for months at a time.

Miroku would do anything for Sango… just to see her happy once more. And a kiss, apparently, was all it took for Sango's happiness to slowly replace her sadness.

It also represented hope; they would be able to persevere in their quest to find Sango's brother…

**:3 :3 :3**

"I don't need bandaging!" Rin yelped, as one of the healers tightened the new set around her stomach.

It was true, but of course, no one would listen to Rin: she was a strong girl! Why could she not go to a hospital if she required treatment in the first place? It had been three months!

Then again, the person who requested the bandages had been her soul mate: Sesshomaru.

He had been very, very sweet to her; he never once left her alone… He had always been with her – even if it was to escort her to school.

It was like Sesshomaru was afraid that something would happen to her…

"Rin, you need to rest," Sesshomaru's voice called out to her.

The healers bowed, taking their leave; leaving Sesshomaru alone with Rin…

Rin stood up; walking toward Sesshomaru… but what she didn't count on was nearly collapsing onto the floor, if it weren't for Sesshomaru's strong arms holding her close to his body…

"I know you care, Sesshomaru, but please – I had enough rest over the past few months. I'm fine!"

Sesshomaru did not look convinced; his golden eyes continued to gaze into her light-filled cocoa orbs. It was as though he was telling her with his eyes that he had every right to be concerned.

Next thing she knew, his hands reached forward to place themselves underneath her thighs and her shoulders – like he was carrying her bridal style.

"You are going to rest."

Rin couldn't help but pout. Considering that he had gotten injured too in the battle with Naraku, he had just brushed that off. But Rin was going to make sure that Sesshomaru was completely fine…

"Then rest with me."

Sesshomaru paused, as though he were contemplating her words over in his mind…

Rin meant each and every word that she said; she'd feel a lot better if Sesshomaru was with her, cozying up with her… protecting her in his arms…

"Please?" Rin pleaded, as her cocoa eyes sparkled with desperation. She was willing to concede to Sesshomaru's request if he be with her. "I can't rest if you're not by my side."

All of a sudden, she found herself carefully tucked in the blanket of the futon… as well as the fact that Sesshomaru had joined her too.

Rin blushed, as she felt his warm body pressed up against hers; his hands were placed on her back, in a comforting manner… His breath was touching her skin…

"Thank you," Rin smiled, before leaning in to kiss his lips.

Sesshomaru returned it, secretly enjoying the feel of her luscious lips, which tasted like innocence…

"Sesshomaru?"

"What is it?"

"I was wondering… once I'm gone, would you always remember me?" Rin nuzzled up to Sesshomaru's chest, as she heard his heartbeat, which soothed her to some degree.

"Do not say such stupid things, Rin."

After all, Sesshomaru knew that his future could only be with Rin by his side…

"I'm glad. Then that means you won't be looking at some other bimbo."

Sesshomaru lightly kissed the top of her head. "You are everything to this Sesshomaru, Rin."

That was the most romantic thing that Rin had ever heard… She won't take his confessions this lightly; it was the most she could get out of him in terms of emotions and what not. He had loved someone else once and it was quite clear that he had been wounded badly. Rin would never hurt Sesshomaru…

Her future would always be with Sesshomaru; she couldn't picture herself being with anyone else… That was the truth.

Thus, Rin would always look forward to another day.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I am so SAD! **

**I'm thinking about crying my guts out, but that would be just disgusting. XD**

**I hope you guys liked this! Please review – I'd love to know what you think!**


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